COVID-19 cases confirmed in Maafushi Prison, Asseyri Prison

COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in Maafushi Prison and Asseyri Prison, prompting authorities to conduct random sampling to detect a possible outbreak.

Maldives Correctional Service announced in a tweet on Wednesday that an officer from Maafushi Prison in K. Maafushi and an officer from Asseyri Prison in K. Himmafushi have tested positive for COVID-19.

Maldives Correctional Service’s spokesperson told Sun that two officers have tested positive for COVID-19 so far.

“We are taking random samples as an officer from Asseyri Prison and an officer from Maafushi Prison have tested positive for COVID,” he said.

The spokesperson said that all officers and inmates at the two prisons will be tested for COVID-19, and that safety measures have been strengthened at the two prisons.

“A significant number of samples have been taken now. More samples are being taken. Samples will be taken from everyone,” he said.

The cases in the two prisons comes the same day 13 people in Dhoonidhoo - an island in K. Atoll managed by Maldives Police Service as a custodial jail – also tested positive for COVID-19.

Travel in and out of K. Maafushi – which has 11 active cases – has been suspended since Tuesday.

Maldives has 26,920 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 253 new cases this Wednesday. 23,935 of them have since recovered, while 71 have died from complications.

The country currently has 2,905 active cases. 83 of the patients are hospitalized.