Health Protection Agency (HPA) has placed four islands under monitoring following the detection of COVID-19 cases. The islands placed under montoring by HPA are Alifushi in Raa Atoll, Hinnavaru and Felivaru in Lhaviyani Atoll, and Fulhadhoo in Baa Atoll.
Alifushi was placed under monitoring after a one-year-old girl, from the Ungoofaaru cluster, tested positive for COVID-19. Speaking to PSM, President of Alifushi Island Council Abdulla Raazee said the toddler arrived in Ungoofaaru on March 14 and tested positive after a release sample was taken on March 25. He said no one else in the island has contracted COVID-19 from the toddler and the authorities are testing visitors who arrived in the island before March 2.
Hinnavaru was placed under monitoring after a local tested positive. The Health Emergency Operations Centre (HEOC) stated contact tracing is ongoing, and the initial investigation has not found any connection between the local and other positive cases.
On March 23, Felivaru was placed under monitoring after 66 positive cases were detected. Meanwhile, Fulhadhoo was also placed under monitoring on March 27, after two tourists tested positive after leaving the island.
Over 23,000 COVID-19 cases have been detected in the Maldives, including over 2,700 active cases. Cases are mostly concentrated in the Greater Male' Region.