Maldives confirms 7th COVID-19 death: An 89-year-old woman

Health Protection Agency (HPA), on Tuesday, announced an 89-year-old Maldivian woman moved to an isolation facility after contracting the new coronavirus has passed away.

“This is the 7th COVID-19 death in the Maldives,” announced HPA.

According to a statement released by HPA, the woman passed away at 06:20 am on Tuesday.

She was at the Hulhumale’ Isolation Facility.

The latest fatality comes less than 24 hours after HPA announced Maldives’ sixth coronavirus related death, a 54-year-old Bangladeshi man who was hospitalized at the Tree Top Hospital in suburban Hulhumale’.

He was pronounced dead at 02:30 pm on Monday.

Maldives identified its first coronavirus case on March 7, and declared a state of public health emergency over the pandemic four days later on March 11.

While coronavirus cases had initially been restricted to resorts and safaris, and later quarantine facilities holding inbound travelers, Male’ City identified its first coronavirus case on April 15, prompting a city-wide lockdown and a nationwide ban on nonessential travel.

The populous Male’ City has since become the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the country, contributing to over 90 percent of the total cases.

Maldives has recorded 1,829 coronavirus cases, 32 percent of whom are Maldivians, while the remaining 68 percent are foreign nationals. 1,003 people – making for 54 percent of total coronavirus cases – are Bangladeshis. The rest of the coronavirus cases include 590 Maldivians, 186 Indians, 23 Nepalese, and 11 Italians.

While 1,829 people are confirmed to have contracted the new coronavirus in Maldives, this includes 488 people who have since made full recoveries. And the death of the 89-year-old Maldivian coronavirus patient this Tuesday means four of the seven coronavirus fatalities are Maldivians, while the rest are Bangladeshis.