Samples taken from prisons test negative for COVID-19

Maldives Correctional Service (MCS) has stated all samples taken from Male' Prison and Asseyri Prison have tested negative for COVID-19.

MCS said samples were obtained from inmates and prison staff as part of the efforts to identify the level of COVID-19 transmission in the prisons. MCS said Health Protection Agency (HPA) obtained samples from 15 inmates and 20 prison staff from Male' Prison as well as 25 inmates and 12 prison staff from Asseyri Prison. MCS said HPA has confirmed all the samples have tested negative for COVID-19.

HPA has been working with MCS in obtaining samples from all the prisons to identify the level of community transmission. No sample obtained from a prison has so far tested positive for COVID-19.