Health Emergency Operation Centre (HEOC) has stated the restrictions imposed to control the spread of COVID-19 cannot be lifted before the number of unlinked cases decrease below a certain level.
Speaking at a press conference, Spokesperson of HEOC Dr. Fathimath Nazla Rafeeq said the number of cases alone does not indicate the full picture of the COVID-19 situation in the country. In this regard, Dr. Nazla noted the modes of transmission must also be considered to fully assess the situation.
Noting 25% of the cases detected last week were not associated with existing clusters, Dr. Nazla said it is too early to declare that the spread is under control. She noted the cases detected from active surveillance have not gone down in the past 4 days.
Speaking further, the spokesperson said the restrictions imposed in the country to control the spread of COVID-19 cannot be lifted before the number of unlinked cases decrease. She said HEOC will continue monitoring the situation and taking actions accordingly.
Over 11,000 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the Maldives since the disease was first detected in the country in March. There are currently 912 active cases across 22 islands in the Maldives.