National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) has revealed 95 expatriates who tested positive for COVID 19 on April 30 were from one housing facility located in Male' City.
Speaking at the daily press conference, Spokesperson of NEOC Mohamed Mabrook Azeez said the congested housing facility was under monitoring by Maldives Police Service (MPS). Mabrook said MPS is currently monitoring 23 such facilities housing 1,085 expatriates. He stated samples are being collected from all individuals in such facilities.
A large number of expatriates living in congested residences are testing positive for COVID-19. In this regard, over 300 of the nearly 500 COVID-19 cases reported in the Maldives are of expatriates. Most of the expatriates who tested positive for COVID-19 in the Maldives are from Bangladesh and India.
The lockdown imposed in the Greater Male' Region has been extended until May 14 and the spokesperson revealed one of the reasons was the huge number of direct contacts in a cluster. He said the lockdown was also extended as the government is working to relocate the expatriates in congested housing facilities.
Maldives set a new record for the highest number of cases reported in a single day with 116 reported positive for COVID-19 on April 30, of which 95 are expatriates.