359 coronavirus patients yet to be moved to isolation facilities

Health Emergency Operations Center (HEOC) announced on Thursday that there are 359 coronavirus patients who have yet to be moved to isolation facilities.

In a press conference on Thursday night, HEOC spokesperson and epidemiologist Dr. Nazla Rafeeq said that patients who have yet to be moved to isolation facilities include 44 who are refusing to move to isolation facilities, and 24 who are awaiting test results on other members of their family, in addition to those who are scheduled to be moved to isolation facilities on Friday.

Nazla said that health authorities prioritize moving elderly patients to isolation facilities.

Patients who have preexisting health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and kidney disease, and patients who live with elderly people and high-risk people are also a priority, she said.

Nazla said that health authorities moved 57 patients to isolation facilities earlier this Thursday, and will move 25 more patients later this Thursday.

Health authorities are battling surge in coronavirus cases following the relaxation of the lockdown in the greater Male’ region – the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in Maldives – in July.

Maldives has 5,494 confirmed coronavirus cases, including 128 new cases recorded on Thursday. 2,920 patients have since recovered, while 21 have died from complications.

The country currently has 2,553 active cases. 1,476 patients are in isolation facilities, while 156 are hospitalized.