14 from same residence test positive for virus

The government has announced that 14 people living in the same residence have tested positive for Covid-19 as the total figures for the while country hit double digits.

National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) medical officer, Dr. Nazla Rafeeq stated that residence was inhabited by migrants and tested positive after the HPA’s rapid response team visited the residence and conducted screening procedures.

Dr. Nazla stated that an operation conducted Police and Male’ City Council had identified locations inhabited by migrants in the capital.

“We are now working, to conduct screening by our rapid response team and medical team after visiting these locations, see if there are any people with symptoms, take their samples, and test.” Said Dr. Nazla.

Three locations have been screened by the authorities so far, and the 14 cases were identified from one of the locations. Contact tracing on these 14 individuals was being conducted.

Dr. Nazla stated that migrants in the country were living in congested locations and in dire situations. Some of the migrants, are undocumented and often work in different locations to earn, which can subject them to the risk of the virus disproportionately, said Dr. Nazla.

The Maldives has confirmed 108 cases of the virus so far, 43 of the confirmed cases are migrants.