National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) has revealed COVID-19 outbreak in the Maldives is unlikely to reach its true peak during the lockdown imposed in the Greater Male' Region.
Speaking at the daily press briefing, Dr. Ibrahim Afzal from the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) stated a true peak is likely to happen after the lockdown order is lifted unless a huge number of positive cases is identified from an overcrowded expatriate accommodation facility. He said a true peak is referred to as the time most cases are identified outside a lockdown.
Dr. Afzal said the Maldives took various precautionary and proactive measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the country and hence, the peak has been delayed considerably. He further said the delay of a true peak was also the result of the public obeying instructions from authorities to stay indoors.
NEOC forecasts a likely increase in the confirmed cases in the Maldives considering the large numbers of direct contacts of people who tested positive. Although the number of direct contacts is currently limited, the numbers were very high at the early stages of the community spread in the Maldives.