COVID-19 pandemic in the Maldives

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COVID-19 pandemic in the Maldives
DiseaseCOVID-19
Virus strainSARS-CoV-2
LocationMaldives
First outbreakWuhan, China, via Italy
Index caseKuredu Resort & Spa
Arrival date7 March 2020
(1 year, 6 months, 1 week and 4 days)
Confirmed cases79,959
Active cases1,648
Recovered78,076
Deaths
223
Fatality rate0.28%
Government website
covid19.health.gov.mv/en

The COVID-19 pandemic in the Maldives is part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus was confirmed to have spread to the Maldives on 7 March 2020 from a 69-year-old Italian tourist who had returned to Italy after spending holidays in Kuredu Resort & Spa.[1][2] The Health Protection Agency of the Maldives confirmed two cases in the Maldives, both employees of the resort. Following this, the hotel was locked down with several tourists stranded on the island.[3] As of 11 March, the resorts of Kuredu, Vilamendhoo, Batalaa, and Kuramathi island were also placed under temporary quarantine. Schools were closed as a precaution.[4]

Cases in the country spiked after a cluster emerged in the country's migrant worker community's dense living quarters, mostly composed of Bangladeshi, Indian, and Nepali migrant workers in May 2020.[5] 2,420 foreigners have tested positive in the country with 1,857 Bangladeshi migrant workers have tested positive for the virus.[6] The Maldivian government plans to relocate 3,000 Bangladeshi foreign workers to other islands in order to enable social distancing.[7]

As of May 24, 2021, Maldives had the world’s fastest-growing Covid-19 epidemic, with the highest number of infections per million people over the prior 7 and 14 days, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Background[]

On 12 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, which was reported to the WHO on 31 December 2019.[8][9]

The case fatality ratio for COVID-19 has been much lower than SARS of 2003,[10][11] but the transmission has been significantly greater, with a significant total death toll.[12][10]

Timeline[]

COVID-19 cases in the Maldives  (
  • v
  • t
)
     Deaths        Recoveries        Active cases
20202021
JanFebMarAprMayJunJul
Last 15 days
Date
# of cases
# of deaths
2021-07-17
​
​
​
 75,816(+0.11%) 216(=)
2021-07-18
​
​
​
 75,879(+0.08%) 216(=)
2021-07-19
​
​
​
 76,019(+0.18%) 216(=)
2021-07-20
​
​
​
 76,188(+0.22%) 216(=)
2021-07-21
​
​
​
 76,332(+0.19%) 218(+0.93%)
2021-07-22
​
​
​
 76,454(+0.16%) 218(=)
2021-07-23
​
​
​
 76,546(+0.12%) 218(=)
2021-07-24
​
​
​
 76,627(+0.11%) 219(+0.46%)
2021-07-25
​
​
​
 76,750(+0.16%) 219(=)
2021-07-26
​
​
​
 76,848(+0.13%) 219(=)
2021-07-27
​
​
​
 76,953(+0.14%) 220(+0.46%)
2021-07-28
​
​
​
 77,094(+0.18%) 220(=)
2021-07-29
​
​
​
 77,202(+0.14%) 220(=)
2021-07-30
​
​
​
 77,309(+0.14%) 221(+0.45%)
2021-07-31
​
​
​
 77,432(+0.16%) 221(=)
Source: covid19.health.gov.mv/dashboard/

March 2020[]

On 7 March 2020, the Maldives confirmed its first two cases of COVID-19, who were foreign employees at Kuredhoo Island Resort. Both were believed to have caught the infection from an Italian tourist who tested positive for COVID-19 after returning to Italy. On 9 March, the Maldives confirmed two other COVID-19 cases tested positive. They too were tourists.[citation needed]

The Maldives declared a public health emergency over COVID-19 on 12 March.[13] As of 19 March, the Maldives had 13 positive cases and the lockdown status on Vilamendhoo and Bathala had been lifted.[14]

On 27 March, the government announced the first confirmed case of a Maldivian citizen with COVID-19, and that person is from the UK. This brought the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 16; the other 15 were foreign citizens.[15] As of 29 March, there were 17 positive cases of COVID-19.[citation needed]

April 2020[]

On 30 April, Maldivian authorities reported their first death of coronavirus in the country, with the first victim being an 83-year-old woman that died en route to the hospital.[16] The total number of confirmed cases since the start of the outbreak stood at 468.[17]

May 2020[]

On May 15, 2020, more than 1,000 cases tested positive for COVID-19 in Maldives. By the end of May there had been 1,773 confirmed cases and five deaths.[18]

June 2020[]

The total number of confirmed cases increased to 2,361 and the death toll rose to eight.[19]

July 2020[]

The total number of confirmed cases increased to 3,793 and the death toll rose to 16.[20]

August 2020[]

On 25 August, former Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom tested positive for COVID-19.[21] The number of confirmed cases more than doubled to 7667 and the death toll increased to 28.[22]

September 2020[]

The number of confirmed cases increased to 10,291 and the death toll rose to 34.[23]

October 2020[]

The number of confirmed cases increased to 11,659 and the death toll rose to 38.[24]

November 2020[]

The number of confirmed cases increased to 13,011 and the death toll rose to 46.[25]

December 2020[]

The number of confirmed cases increased to 13,757 and the death toll rose to 48.[26]

January 2021[]

The number of confirmed cases increased to 15,841 and the death toll rose to 52.[27]

February 2021[]

Mass vaccination commenced on 1 February, initially with 100,000 doses of AstraZeneca's Covishield vaccine donated by India.[28] An unidentified benefactor donated 5,000 doses of Sinopharm's BBIBP-CorV vaccine while China undertook to donate 100,000 doses of the same vaccine.[29] India donated 100,000 additional doses of Covishield on 20 February.[30]

On 2 February, Dr. Sheena Moosa of the Maldives Health Emergency Operations Center reported that the time-varying reproduction number R t had risen to 5.[31]

On 23 February, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) announced that it had shipped 100,000 syringes to be used for both the AstraZeneca and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.[32]

In February, the number of cases increased to 19,793 and the death toll rose to 62. Four weeks after the start of the vaccination campaign, 111,415 people had received their first dose.[33]

March 2021[]

The number of confirmed cases increased to 24,079 and the death toll rose to 67.[34]

April 2021[]

The number of confirmed cases increased to 29,835 and the death toll rose to 73.[35]

May 2021[]

As of 24 May 2021, Maldives had the world’s fastest-growing Covid-19 epidemic, with the highest number of infections per million people over the prior 7 and 14 days, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.[36] Doctors warned that increasing demand for Covid-19 care could hinder their ability to handle other health emergencies in the Maldives.[37]

In May, the number of confirmed cases more than doubled to 64,396 and the death toll more than doubled to 161.[38]

June 2021[]

The number of confirmed cases increased to 73,798 and the death toll rose to 212. There were 3,602 active cases at the end of the month.[39]

July 2021[]

At the start of the month 191,441 persons had received two vaccine doses and 317,214 persons had received their first inoculation,[40] rising to 264,913 and 321,764 persons by the end of the month.[41] The number of confirmed cases increased to 77,432 and the death toll rose to 221. There were 2,601 active cases at the end of the month.[42]

August 2021[]

From 15 August, the vaccination campaign was extended to children between 12 and 17 years old.[43]

The number of confirmed cases increased to 81,112 and the death toll rose to 226. There were 1,730 active cases at the end of the month.[44] By the end of the month 302,182 persons had received two vaccine doses and 383,620 had received their first inoculation.[43]

Statistics[]

Charts[]

Confirmed new cases per day[]

Confirmed deaths per day[]

Restrictions on travel to the Maldives[]

The government of the Maldives and the Tourism Ministry of the Maldives with the guidance of the Health Protection Agency of the Maldives (HPA) placed a temporary travel restriction for the following countries to control new cases. No passengers originating from, transiting to, or with a travel history of said country/province is to be permitted into the Maldives. Maldivians and spouses of Maldivians who are foreign nationals will be allowed in but may be subject to quarantine measures.[45]

Country Effective Date Source
China Active from 4 February 2020 Ministry of Health
Iran Active from 26 February 2020 Ministry of Health
South Korea (North and South Gyeongsang Provinces) Active from 3 March 2020 Ministry of Health
Italy Active from 8 March 2020 Ministry of Health
Bangladesh Active from 24 March 2020 Ministry of Health
Germany (Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Württemberg) Active from 15 March 2020 Ministry of Health
Spain (All provinces and regions) Active from 15 March 2020 Ministry of Health
France (Île-de-France and Grand Est) Active from 15 March 2020 Ministry of Health
Malaysia Active from 17 March 2020 Ministry of Health
United Kingdom Active from 19 March 2020 Ministry of Health
Sri Lanka Active from 21 March 2020 Ministry of Health

Quarantine facilities[]

The Maldivian government turned the resort island of Villivaru in the Kaafu Atoll into a quarantine facility, described as "the world's first coronavirus resort", where patients would enjoy a luxurious stay and free medical care.[46][47]

According to Minister of Tourism Ali Waheed, the Maldives had 2,288 beds available for quarantine as of late March 2020.[47]

Impact[]

The Maldives' economy is dependent on tourism, which dropped severely due to travel restrictions amid the pandemic. Experts warned of an economic contraction and possible difficulties paying back foreign debt, especially to China and India.[48]

Migrant workers in Maldives have been reported to face harsh treatment from their employers, such as wage theft, unsafe living and working conditions, passport confiscation, and deceptive recruitment practices. According to an investigation by Human Rights Watch, these migrant labor abuses have worsened due to COVID-19 pandemic that resulted in job loss and forced labor without any pay.[49]

Details of the initial confirmed cases[]

Case Date Age Gender Nationality Hospital admitted Source of infection Status Notes Source
1 7 March 2020 Not disclosed Female Turkish Farukolhu Fushi Isolation Center Italy Recovered First case in the Maldives. Italian tourist linked the local transmission Ministry of Health
2 7 March 2020 Not disclosed Male South African Farukolhu Fushi Isolation Center Italy Recovered First case in the Maldives. Italian tourist linked the local transmission Ministry of Health

See also[]

References[]

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