Health Emergency Operation Centre (HEOC) has expressed concern over the high rate of COVID-19 hospitalisation rate and the overloading of the healthcare system of the Maldives.
Speaking at a press conference, Dr. Moosa Hussain from the Clinical Management Advisory Team of HEOC noted an important step taken when COVID-19 was first detected in the Maldives an year ago was the repatriation of Maldivian medical students from abroad to take part in the local COVID-19 operations. However, the doctor noted most of these students have now left the country following the reopening of borders, severely limiting the capacity of the COVID-19 clinical operations. He said the latest and the most severe surge of COVID-19 cases in the Maldives has left the healthcare system overloaded and healthcare workers exhausted.
Dr. Moosa Hussain urged those who have not received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to get vaccinated as soon as possible, as it controls the severity of the disease and reduces the rate of hospitalisation. He also urged the public to practice personal safety measures such as washing hands, wearing face masks and social distancing.
COVID-19 was first detected in the Maldives on March 7 last year. Since then, over 20,000 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the Maldives, of which 64 people have died. There are currently over 2,500 active cases, including over 160 patients undergoing treatment in hospitals or medical facilities.