Ameen: Priority now is to expand testing, identify virus cases as quickly as possible

Health Minister Abdulla Ameen, on Saturday, said that given that the authorities now believe COVID-19 had spread extensively within the Maldivian capital, and that the priority now was to conduct testing to identify infected persons and isolate them as quickly as possible.

At the National Emergency Operations Center press briefing this afternoon; Ameen said the health authorities had already identified several virus hotspots within Male’. He said the authorities were now working on expanding its testing capacity, and conducting surveillance testing across Maldives.

“This [community surveillance] means testing done in different regions or groups, in addition to cases linked with positive cases. These tests will be conducted within the atolls, and in different regions within Male’,” said Ameen.

He said the purpose of community surveillance was to identify virus cases or hotspots as quickly as possible.

Ameen said the increase in testing the past two days had helped identify both people who had not previously reported any symptoms.

He said that given the volume of virus cases which were being identified, people who are symptomatic or have who test positive may soon need  to be quarantined at home.

He asked people to be prepared for such a situation.

Ameen also instructed the public to be alert for a rise in dengue cases with the start of the rainy season, and to take necessary precautions such as destroying mosquito breeding grounds.

He also indicated that the lockdown in place in the Greater Male’ Region will be extended.

Virus cases in Maldives, fueled by the community outbreak in the capital, have now risen to 141.