Health Emergency Operation Centre (HEOC) has revealed 121 people who were undergoing home quarantine after returning to islands from Male’ in August had tested positive for COVID-19.
Speaking at the daily press briefing, Spokesperson of HEOC Dr. Fathimath Nazla Rafeeq said individuals are permitted to return to their home islands from Male’, under an agreement that they will follow the home quarantine guidelines set by Health Protection Agency (HPA). However, she expressed concerns over the increasing number of people who fail to follow the home quarantine guidelines, putting themselves and others at risk.
The spokesperson revealed 2,705 people were allowed to return to their islands from Male’ City to undergo home quarantine in August. She said 121 of them have subsequently tested positive for COVID-19.
Dr. Nazla reiterated the spread of COVID-19 cannot be controlled without fulfilling the individual responsibility of each citizen. Noting it would be impossible for task forces established in islands to constantly monitor the movement of people, Dr. Nazla said compliance to control measures cannot be ensured without public cooperation. She also urged the public to provide truthful information to authorities during contact tracing, as concealing such information could pose a danger to the whole community.
Over 9,000 cases have been reported in the Maldives since COVID-19 was first detected in the country in March. There are currently 1,965 active cases in the country, including 116 patients undergoing treatment in hospitals and medical facilities. 32 people have died from COVID-19 in the Maldives.