Fear Strikes in Maldives with First COVID19 Death

Thursday 30th of April 2020

Fear Strikes in Maldives with First COVID19 Death

The Maldives has reported its first COVID19 related death. The Minister of Health Abdulla Ameen revealed that the 83-year-old Maldivian woman passed away Wednesday evening. This was stated at the emergency conference held during early hours of Thursday.

Before this announcement, Under-Secretary at the President's Office Mabrouq Abdul Azeez disclosed that a sample taken from an individual that passed away earlier in the day, was sent to test for COVID-19, but at the time he stated that results were not in. Her positive results came in after her death and it was also revealed that the deceased was a direct contact of positive case 126.

The patient was taken to IMGH due to breathing difficulties and had passed away before reaching the hospital. Dr. Ali Latheef said that the ambulance drivers that transported the COVID-19 patient have a very low risk of infection. However, several others from her family had earlier tested positive for the virus. The doctor also stated that currently, there are five patients, four locals and one expatriate, receiving treatment in the intensive care unit of Dharumavantha Hospital.

The current population of Maldives is 538,844 as of April 29, 2020, based on Worldometer elaboration of the latest United Nations data. This is equivalent to 0.01% of the total world population and half of the number of cases confirmed in United States, which has crossed a million. This being the case, community spread in the island nation is more frightening than anyone can imagine.