HPA instructs a cease in all unnecessary public outings

Health Protection Agency (HPA), on Wednesday, issued an appeal for a cease in all public outings, expect when deemed absolutely necessary.

The appeal comes shortly after HPA confirmed the first COVID-19 case in the populous capital, Male’ City; a Maldivian national who presented to the flu clinic located near the municipal housing complex Male’ Hiya on Tuesday. The agency received test results confirming the case this Wednesday.

HPA confirms the patient does not have any recent travel history overseas.

The patient has been moved to an isolation facility, while the neighborhood where she resides in has been temporarily locked down as the rapid response team continues to operate in the area to conduct contact tracing.

HPA has issued a statement urging continued adherence to its instructions.

“As such, please be advised to avoid public outings unless absolutely necessary, and increase attention towards social distancing,” said HPA in its statement.

The new case marks the sixth Maldivian national to test positive for the disease. The previous cases had been four people who traveled back from the UK, and one who had travelled back from the Philippines.

All five had been identified during mandatory quarantine.

HPA has conducted an epidemiological survey, which shows that if necessary measures aren’t taken in a situation where a positive case is found within the local community, the virus could infect 98,501 people - 46,000 people in Male’ City alone, and 51,000 people outside of the capital - and kill 10,891 people.