Health Protection Agency (HPA) has begun using COVID-19 rapid antigen tests in some sample collection centres in the Greater Male' Region.
HPA stated rapid antigen tests are being used at the Male' Social Centre, Senahiya Hospital, and the sample collection centre in Hulhumale' Ruhgandu 1. The antigen test kit contains a cotton bud to acquire a nasal or oral sample from the individual. HPA stated antigen testing is also conducted in islands with an increasing number of COVID-19 cases.
Rapid antigen testing is only conducted for individuals who show signs of illness, as results of the test can be received within 15 minutes. The antigen tests are used to alleviate the current difficulties in using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) due to the inadequate number of PCR machines in the Maldives. The use of antigen tests has significantly increased the number of samples being tested.
The spread of the omicron variant in the Maldives has increased the number of COVID-19 cases. The latest update from HPA show 2,484 new cases were recorded on January 23, with 1,268 cases from the Greater Male' Region and 728 cases from the atolls. It was the fourth time over 2,000 daily new cases were recorded in the past week.
HPA has also recorded 14,636 active cases with 47 individuals receiving treatment at hospitals. There have been a total of 117,461 cases and 270 deaths in the Maldives since the first case was detected in March 2020.