COVID-19: 7 construction workers in Ihavandhoo test positive

Seven workers sent from Male’ for a construction project at a school in H. A. Ihavandhoo have tested positive for the new coronavirus.

Ihavandhoo health center’s senior administrator Mohamed Akram told Sun on Saturday that the seven workers who tested positive include six foreigners and one local.

Akram said that all seven workers were under home quarantine, and were taken to conduct the construction work at the school in accordance with Health Protection Agency (HPA)’s guidelines.

“They were under home quarantine. But they were engaged in work in accordance with the guidelines. They work from 18:00 to 23:00,” he said.

Akram said that the construction workers were escorted to and from work by police officers, and that they did not visit any other place, other than their place of work.

He said that the construction site they were working at was located outside of the main school building.

Akram said that health authorities have completed contact tracing, and found they did not have contact with any other people.

He added that the workers will no longer attend work given their test results, and are currently under strict quarantine.

All seven workers are in stable condition. None of them are high-risk patients, and they are all asymptomatic.

Local authorities have made the decision to implemented safety measures in Ihavandhoo following the cases, including prohibiting public gatherings and requiring residents to wear masks in public.