Covid-19 situation worsens, 65% of ICU occupied by Youth!

Patient being treated for Covid-19 in the Hulhumale' Covid-19 management facility | Photo: Covid-19 huttuvaanee aharen campaign

Male’, Maldives —The Health Protection Agency has revealed that the worsening Covid-19 situation in the Maldives, this time, 65% of the ICU has been filled by the youth.

While speaking at the news conference held by HPA last night, Dr. Mohamed Ismail of IGMH stated that at present 65% of the people receiving care for the Covid-19 virus in the ICU of Dharumavantha Hospital are below the age of 40.

We noticed earlier that old age people are vulnerable to the virus. However, the new surge upon us has shown that even the youth can be vulnerable to Covid-19.

Dr. Mohamed Ismail, IGMH

As the number of positive cases increase by the day, the Health Emergency Operations Center informed that this time, the number of children testing positive for the virus has increased as well as the facilities are treating 211 kids below the age of 18. Other than this, 29 people above the age of 65 are also getting treated for Covid-19 at the hospital.

The latest statistics revealed by the HPA shows that there are currently 9,423 active Covid-19 cases present in the Maldives, out of which 250 people are being treated in the hospital. The statistics also shows that 80 kids below the age of 10 are testing positive for Covid-19 per day. This includes four to five children below one year old.

This is the worst Covid-19 wave to hit the Maldives so far with the positive percentage remaining above 80 percent along with the amount of vulnerable people increasing in the country. Currently, there is only one empty bed available at the ICU of Dharumavantha hospital.

With majority of the hospitalized patients being in the capital, experts continuously reiterate the importance of taking preventive steps against Covid-19, such as maintaining adequate physical distancing, wearing masks and practicing hand hygiene.