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COVID-19: HPA confirms 9 more individuals as positive

Rae Munavvar
23 April 2020, MVT 14:24
Samples being extracted from patients showing symptoms or determined to be at high risk, to test for the COVID-19 virus, the spreading of which has claimed lives all around the globe and has pushed many countries into taking preemptive actions such as placing their borders under lockdown. PHOTO: MIHAARU
Rae Munavvar
23 April 2020, MVT 14:24

Health Protection Agency (HPA), confirmed on Thursday that samples taken from nine individuals in capital city Male', tested positive for COVID-19.

According to the agency, the additional cases included four Maldivians and five Bangladeshi nationals.

Reportedly, HPA is in the process of transferring the locals to an isolation facility.

The latest development places the number of cases in Male' City, one of the most densely populated areas in the world, at a grim 64. Out of these, 30 are expatriates.

Maldives' first confirmed case of COVID-19 within the capital city of Male', was recorded on April 15, involving a local woman who presented to the flu clinic in Malé after developing coronavirus-like symptoms.

HPA placed the greater Male' region under lockdown for 24 hours after the case was confirmed. Authorities extended the measures for a 14-day period on April 16 after new cases surfaced.

Although an index patient for the outbreak was not identified, the National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC)'s Technical Advisory Group (TAG) on Monday, predicted that community spread of the virus began two to three weeks ago.

As of now, Maldives records 94 confirmed, 2 probable and 76 active cases of COVID-19, with a total of 16 recoveries.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified the spread of COVID-19 as a global pandemic. The novel coronavirus has infected over 2.6 million people and claimed over 180,000 lives around the world. However, out of those infected, more than 720,000 people have recovered.

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