COVID-19 cases in Male’ rises to 31

Health Protection Agency (HPA), on Sunday, announced 16 more people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Male’, increasing cases in the populous capital to 31, and cases nationwide to 51.

The first new case in Male’ this Sunday was a Bangladeshi national (patient 36) who tested positive after presenting to a flu clinic.

A link between patient 36 and any other existing cluster has yet to be established.

13 BANGLADESHI PATIENTS LINKED WITH PATIENT 27

Since then, 13 more Bangladeshi nationals have also tested positive.

According to HPA, the 13 patients in question (patient 36, patient 37, patient 38, patient 39, patient 40, patient 41, patient 42, patient 43, patient 44, patient 45, patient 46, patient 47, patient 48, and patient 49), are linked to an existing cluster linked to patient 27 – a 36-year-old Maldivian woman who tested positive after presenting to a flu clinic with symptoms on Friday, April 17.

INDIAN PATIENTS LINKED WITH PATIENT 28

The new cases on Sunday also include two Indian nationals.

At a National Emergency Operations Center briefing this afternoon, Medical Officer at HPA, Dr. Nazla Rafeeq said the two Indian patients are linked to the cluster linked with patient 28 – a 47-year-old Maldivian man who had tested positive after presenting to a flu clinic with symptoms on Friday, April 17.

Dr. Nazla said the two Indian patients were technicians at Bright Brothers, involved in repairing air conditioning systems.

Both had gone to several residences to service air conditioning systems, she said.

HPA has identified some of the residences, and is working on identifying the rest.