Health Protection Agency (HPA) has revealed 50% of samples collected from the atolls in the past three weeks tested positive for COVID-19. As per the statistics, this is the third week the rate of positive cases has been at 50%.
COVID-19 cases reported from the atolls have increased since the fourth outbreak of the which began in January. Maldives recorded the highest number of COVID-19 cases with the onset of the new Omicron variant. The first case of Omicron was detected in the Maldives during January and since then the number of positive cases has been on the rise, with almost 3,000 cases recorded within 24-hours.
During the fourth outbreak, a large number of cases were identified from the atolls. Health experts noted the increase in travel during the school holiday is the main reason for the increase in the number of cases in the atolls. HPA said about 10% of the samples taken from the atolls tested positive before the latest outbreak. However, the number increased dramatically with the detection of Omicron.
Since early February, the number of cases reported from the atolls has increased significantly compared to the Greater Male' Region. Currently, 10% of the samples tested in the Greater Male' Region are found positive. During January, 45% of the samples tested from the Greater Male' Region tested positive. The figure stood at 4% at the beginning of the year.
The Maldives has eased restrictive measures as the situation improved in the Greater Male' Region. The total number of COVID-19 cases recorded in the Maldives has now reached 170,000.