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Maldives coronavirus cases near 1,800 with second highest daily surge of 101 infections
Coronavirus cases in the Maldives neared 1,800 Sunday after health officials reported 101 new infections in a day — the second biggest daily surge in the number of Covid-19 cases in the island nation.
Health Protection Agency (HPA) said a total of 101 new cases were detected in the 24 hours from 6pm Saturday, bringing the national tally to 1,773.
The new cases include 71 Bangladeshis, 21 Indians and eight Maldivians.
Mabrouk Abdul Azeez, a spokesperson for the government’s emergency operations centre, told reporters Sunday evening that all the new cases except two are linked to already identified clusters.
Most of the expatriate workers that tested positive Sunday had already been moved to designated containment sites from cramped up dormitories, he said.
The confirmed local transmission clusters in the country now include 973 Bangladeshis, 563 Maldivians, 186 Indians, 23 Nepalis, nine Sri Lankans and three Pakistanis.
Sunday saw the second highest daily spike in coronavirus infections in the Maldives to date. The highest daily increase in case numbers was on April 30 when the country reported 178 new cases.
The grim milestone came just two days after health officials again extended a state of public health emergency and outlined a roadmap to ease the Maldives out of lockdown, with people now allowed to go out for more hours and general businesses permitted to open.
However, officials were quick to dismiss concerns that the recent spike in cases was the result of the steps taken to ease the lockdown in the capital region.
During the press briefing Sunday, Dr Ibrahim Afzal, an epidemiologist with the Health Protection Agency (HPA), called it a “typical increase” in case numbers.
“If we look at the cases, all the cases except two are linked to already identified clusters,” he said.
Authorities managed to mitigate the spread of the virus and the Covid-19 respiratory disease it causes amongst the Maldives’ citizens and residents early on by closing the Indian Ocean tourist paradise’s borders, earning praise from the World Health Organisation.
But the disease later spread rapidly within the large migrant worker community in capital Male. Authorities have ramped up relocating workers from the cramped up dormitories in one of the world’s most densely populated cities to temporary accommodation units.
An estimated 63,000 foreign nationals work in the Maldives illegally out of a migrant worker population close to 145,000.
Foreign workers in the Maldives, predominantly Bangladeshi and Indian men, are subjected to practices indicative of forced labour, including fraudulent recruitment, confiscation of identity and travel documents, withholding or non-payment of wages, and debt bondage.
As most migrant workers live in extremely poor conditions, a widespread outbreak amongst them could lead to large virus clusters, overwhelming the country’s already under staffed and strained healthcare system and making it harder for authorities to contain the spread of the virus.
On March 8, Maldives reported its first cases of the novel coronavirus, as two hotel employees tested positive for Covid-19 at a luxury resort in the archipelago.
Eighteen more cases — all foreigners working or staying resorts and liveaboard vessels except five Maldivians who had returned from abroad — were later identified.
A six-case cluster of locals, detected in capital Male on April 15, confirmed community transmission of the coronavirus. Several more clusters have since been identified, bringing the total number of confirmed case in the Maldives to 1,773.
Five deaths have been reported and 453 have made full recoveries. Five remain in intensive care.
The Maldives announced a state of public health emergency on March 12, the first such declaration under a recent public health protection law.
The public health emergency declaration allowed the government to introduce a series of unprecedented restrictive and social distancing measures, including stay-at-home orders in capital Male and its suburbs, a ban on inter-island transport and public gatherings across the country, and a nationwide closing of government offices, schools, colleges and universities.
Non-essential services and public places in the capital such as gyms, cinemas and parks were also shut.
Restaurants and cafes in the capital were asked to stop dine-in service and switch to takeaway and delivery.
A nationwide shutdown of all guesthouses, city hotels and spa facilities located on inhabited islands is also in effect.
The coronavirus outbreak has hit the Maldivian economy hard, as travel restrictions and other preventive measures affect the country’s lucrative tourism industry, which contributes the bulk of the island nation’s state revenue and foreign reserves.
Before the pandemic, the government had been bullish about tourism prospects, targeting two million, high-spending holidaymakers this year after last year’s record 1.7 million.
However, tourist arrivals saw a year-over-year decline of 22.8 per cent in the first 10 days of March. Officials say the number of tourist arrivals to the Maldives could drop by half in 2020.
All international airlines have suspended scheduled operations to the Maldives, as the island nation enforced a blanket suspension of on-arrival visa in late March in a bid to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Even before the visa suspension, the Maldives had closed its borders to arrivals from some of the worst-hit countries, including mainland China, Italy, Bangladesh, Iran, Spain, the United Kingdom, Malaysia and Sri Lanka. Visitors from three regions of Germany (Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Württemberg), two regions of France (Île-de-France and Grand Est) and two regions of South Korea were also banned from entering the country.
All direct flights to and from China, Italy, South Korea and Iran were also cancelled.
Cruise ships and foreign yachts were also banned from docking at any of the country’s ports.
With arrival numbers falling and the visa suspension in effect, several resorts across the Maldives had been closed.
Tourism has been the bedrock of the Maldives’ economic success. The $5 billion-dollar economy grew by 6.7 per cent in 2018 with tourism generating 60 per cent of foreign income.
However, the government is at present projecting a possible 13 per cent economic contraction this year — an estimated $778 million hit.
Photo: Sun Online
This World Earth Day, ELE|NA is placing sustainability at the centre of its wellness approach through a programme led by Sustainability Ambassadors across its spa network. Through a set of circular practices and guest-facing initiatives, the brand is linking environmental responsibility with the spa experience.
At the centre of the programme are ELE|NA’s Sustainability Ambassadors, team members based in each resort spa who promote environmentally conscious practices. These ambassadors support both staff and guests in adopting sustainable actions, from daily operations to workshops designed to encourage participation and awareness.
Guests are invited to join hands-on sustainability workshops that combine learning with practical activities. These include the Juice Bike, sessions on making natural haircare products, the preparation of coconut and coffee scrubs and oils, and the making of coconut candy. Guests can also take part in a sand bundle workshop, where used spa linen is repurposed into handmade sand bundles later used in spa treatments.
ELE|NA’s sustainability model also extends to resource use within spa and hospitality operations. Apples previously used in infused water are turned into apple chips, while orange peel waste from the kitchen is made into sweets served to guests after treatments. Used herbal tea is repurposed as fertiliser for spa gardens, supporting a circular approach to materials and waste.
The brand is also aligning its Earth Day programming with the 2026 global theme, “Our Power, Our Planet”, by focusing on nature-based healing practices. ELE|NA says this includes reducing the use of synthetic tools and instead incorporating natural materials such as bamboo and coconut shells into treatments. The approach is intended to reflect a model of wellness built around renewal and lower-impact resource use.
This philosophy is also reflected in wellness experiences including Ocean Flow, Reiki, Sunrise Yoga and Floating Sound Bath sessions, which are designed to connect guests more closely with the natural environment. Through these programmes, ELE|NA is positioning wellbeing and environmental awareness as part of the same experience.
ELE|NA has also received Gold Standard accreditation from Sustainable Wellness, a non-profit organisation established in 2020 to provide independent sustainability guidance and benchmarking for the wellness sector. The accreditation marks a step in the brand’s sustainability programme and reflects its stated focus on responsible wellness practices.
Beyond its own spas, ELE|NA is presenting sustainable wellness as an operational model that can be applied across resort and spa settings. The brand says the framework is designed to support guest engagement, brand positioning and service delivery, while also being scalable for hospitality operators seeking to integrate sustainability standards, staff training and wellness programming into their own operations.
The Nautilus Maldives will host Ocean Discovery Week from 2 to 8 August 2026, offering guests a closer exploration of the marine environment in Baa Atoll’s UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Set around the rhythms of the sea, the programme is designed to bring together ocean discovery, photography, storytelling and family participation.
This year’s edition will feature underwater photographer Tobias Friedrich, who will be joined by his wife Isidora and their two sons, Kian and Dorian. Together, they bring a family-based perspective to the programme, shaped by diving, marine advocacy and shared experience.
Tobias Friedrich is known for his underwater photography and his role as a jury member for the Underwater Photographer of the Year. His work has documented marine environments ranging from tropical reefs to Arctic waters. Isidora, a PADI AmbassaDiver, contributes through storytelling linked to ocean exploration, diving safety and conservation. Kian and Dorian, both certified junior divers, add a younger perspective to the programme through their own connection with the sea.
Throughout the week, guests will be able to take part in a range of activities including manta ray encounters in Hanifaru Bay, night dives and guided snorkelling on the house reef. The programme also includes photography sessions led by Tobias Friedrich, covering underwater composition, storytelling and image-making. These sessions will range from introductory poolside workshops to more advanced guidance.
Alongside this, Isidora will lead storytelling and engagement sessions, while also guiding children’s activities. Evening events will include outdoor cinema screenings focused on underwater phenomena, as well as talks aimed at giving guests a wider understanding of the marine world.
At Naiboli, an Ocean Gallery will display Tobias Friedrich’s work through books, calendars and selected pieces, some of which will be available for purchase. A portion of proceeds will go towards marine conservation initiatives.
For younger guests, Ocean Discovery Week will also be reflected in the Young Wonderers programme. Activities will include coral planting sessions with the resort’s resident marine biologist, along with ocean-themed art, storytelling and reef exploration.
The Nautilus Maldives is presenting Ocean Discovery Week as a programme shaped less by fixed schedules than by shared experiences in and around the sea. Through diving, photography, storytelling and conservation-based activities, the week is intended to deepen guests’ understanding of the marine environment while creating opportunities for connection across age groups.
Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives is offering guests the opportunity to extend their stays through a promotional campaign in which every third night is complimentary across selected premium villa categories.
The offer applies to Beach Houses and Overwater Villas and extends beyond a standard Stay 3 Pay 2 structure. Guests can also book under Stay 6 Pay 4, Stay 9 Pay 6, and longer-stay formats, with every third night free for stays of up to 30 nights.
Available exclusively to IHG One Rewards members, the promotion forms part of IHG’s Asia Pacific “One More Moment” campaign. It is valid for bookings made before 1 May 2026, with travel available through to the end of the year, subject to blackout dates.
The offer also includes no upfront payment and free cancellation up to three days before arrival, giving travellers added flexibility when planning future stays.
Sharon Garrett, Director of Marketing & Sustainability at Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives, said the offer builds on the appeal of a familiar stay incentive while giving guests more scope to extend their time at the resort.
“Our members really value the simplicity of a Stay 3 Pay 2 offer, but what makes this particularly appealing is the ability to extend that benefit across longer stays,” she said.
“It is about giving guests the freedom to enjoy one more dive, one more spa treatment, or simply one more unhurried day on the island.”
Located in South Malé Atoll, around 45 minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives is positioned as a private island resort with a focus on diving, family-friendly facilities and accessible Maldives holidays. The resort offers a range of accommodation categories, several dining venues, the Kandoo Kids’ Club, and Kandooma Spa by COMO Shambhala.
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