Coronavirus screening arrangements are now available in the Maldives.
Over 75,775 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed globally and 2130 people have died from the virus that originated from Wuhan, China. Until now, testing facilities for the virus were unavailable in the Maldives. The government has been sending blood samples of suspected cases to India, and results were received in four days.
A ceremony was held Thursday at which Health Minister Abdulla Ameen received test kits donated by the World Health Organization (WHO). Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Ameen said testing for the coronavirus is now available from state-run Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) in capital Male'. A period of 10-12 days are required to receive the results of the test, said the minister.
The kit donated by WHO can test upto 1000 people for the presence of the virus in their system.
Seven people who arrived in the Maldives from China were tested for the virus, but the results came back negative. However, the Maldives government has temporarily suspended all inbound flights from China as an added precaution.
Health Minister Abdulla Ameen
