Ameen: The elderly who die in critical condition will be tested for virus, even if asymptomatic

Health Minister Abdulla Ameen, on Thursday, announced that the health authorities were conducting blanket testing on the elderly who die in critical condition, regardless of whether or not they had exhibited symptoms of COVID-19.

It comes as Maldives mourns its first virus-related death; an 83-year-old woman from Male’ who was awaiting test results in self-isolation following direct contact with a positive case. Her test results came back positive for COVID-19 after her death on Wednesday.

Health Minister Abdulla Ameen appeared for a National Emergency Operations Center press briefing to announce the death in the early hours of this Thursday.

He said that the health authorities were testing elderly patients who die in critical condition, even if they were asymptomatic or had no apparent link with a confirmed case.

“If an elderly person is admitted to a hospital and dies in critical condition, samples will be taken for testing even if the person had not exhibited any symptoms of COVID-19, or is not suspected of being infected with COVID-19,” said Ameen.

Meanwhile, IGMH physician Dr. Ali Latheef said a person who is a direct contact of a positive case must consider themselves to be of high risk of being infected with the virus themselves, and must therefore take all necessary measures to prevent others from being exposed, even as the person awaits test results at home.

 He also appealed to direct contacts of positive cases that live with elderly persons to alert Health Protection Agency (HPA) to the fact as soon as possible.

The number of people who have tested positive for COVID-19 in Maldives has risen to 280, out of whom five are being treated in the ICU of Dharumavantha Hospital.