Addu Equatorial Hospital (AEH) has started taking surveillance samples in Addu City as part of efforts to identify the level of COVID-19 spread in the city.
AEH began taking surveillance samples in Addu following the decision of Health Emergency Operation Centre (HEOC) to conduct COVID-19 surveillance in all parts of the country. AEH stated over 200 samples will be obtained from different wards of the city between September 26 and 27.
This is the first time random samples would be taken for testing in Addu City. So far, AEH has only been testing samples of individuals under home quarantine.
Over 1,200 samples have so far been tested by the hospital. A total of 14 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Addu City, all of whom were individuals under home quarantine or their direct contacts. Therefore, HEOC has not declared a community spread situation in Addu.