With additional case in Hithadhoo, coronavirus cases in Addu rise to 3

A woman under home quarantine in the Hithadhoo district of Addu City has tested positive for the new coronavirus, increasing total coronavirus cases in the city to three.

Health Protection Agency (HPA) identified the new case in Addu as a 58-year-old Maldivian woman.

She was tested upon completion of 14 days of home quarantine on Sunday.

The additional case comes the same day Hithadhoo identified its first case, a 38-year-old Bangladeshi man who was tested upon completion of the 14-day home quarantine period.

It also comes a day after Addu identified its first coronavirus case, a police officer under home quarantine in the Feydhoo district of the city.

HPA imposed restrictions on Hithadhoo earlier this Sunday, following the identification of its first case. Travel in and out of the district has been banned unless with special authorization from the agency.

HPA requires all those who travel from the greater Male’ region to residential islands to undergo 14 days of mandatory quarantine and testing clearing them of the new coronavirus before they are allowed to mingle with the local population.

Several people who have travelled to residential islands from Male’ – which is experiencing a surge in coronavirus cases with the relaxation of the lockdown – have tested positive in recent days.

Following the surge in cases, authorities have implemented a temporary ban on travel of persons from Male’ to other residential islands, except those who travel to the capital to access essential services such as healthcare.

Wearing masks when out in public in the greater Male’ region and residential islands with confirmed coronavirus cases is now mandatory, and the wearing of masks in all residential islands, including those with no confirmed cases has been declared highly recommended.

Maldives has 5,041 confirmed coronavirus cases, including 143 new cases recorded on Sunday. 2,804 of the patients have since recovered, while 19 have died from complications.

The country now has 2,218 active cases. 140 coronavirus patients are hospitalized.