Woman quarantined in Hulhudhuffaaru tests positive for coronavirus

A young woman under home quarantine in R. Hulhudhuffaaru has tested positive for the new coronavirus.

Hulhudhuffaaru councilor Ibrahim Shifaz told Sun the young woman who tested positive had arrived at the island from Male’ City on Wednesday.

Shifaz said her test results were received shortly after she arrived at Hulhudhuffaaru.

“Everything pertaining to her reception upon arrival was conducted in accordance with HPA’s guidelines,” he said.

The new case in Hulhudhuffaaru comes after another person in home quarantine in the island after travelling from Male’ City tested positive for the coronavirus in July. Shifaz told Sun the previous patient has since made a full recovery.

HPA requires all those who travel from Male’ City to residential islands to undergo 14 days of mandatory quarantine and testing clearing them of the new coronavirus before they are allowed to mingle with the local population.

Several people who have travelled to residential islands from Male’ – which is experiencing a surge in coronavirus cases with the relaxation of the lockdown – have tested positive in recent days.

Following the surge in cases, authorities implemented have additional restrictions, including imposing a temporary ban on travel of persons from Male’ to other residential islands, except those who travel to the capital to access essential services such as healthcare.

Wearing masks when out in public in the greater Male’ region and residential islands with confirmed coronavirus cases is now mandatory, and the wearing of masks in all residential islands, including those with no confirmed cases has been declared highly recommended.

Maldives has 4,594 confirmed coronavirus cases, including 148 new cases recorded on Wednesday. 2,706 of the patients have since recovered, while 19 have died from complications.

The country now has 1,869 active cases. 110 coronavirus patients are hospitalized.