Two additional people have tested positive for COVID-19 in capital Male', bringing the total number of infected individuals in the residential area to 5, and total infection count in Maldives to 25.
The two new cases are direct contacts of case number 23, who tested positive for the virus on Thursday. Both individuals have now been quarantined.
The first case of local transmission in Male', case number 21 was of a woman with no recent travel history, and no direct link to an imported case. Her one year old child has also tested positive for the virus. Case number 23 is a direct contact of the initial case.
The National Emergency Operations Centre on Thursday revealed that case 21 had over 207 direct contacts over the past five days. This includes 75 high risk contacts, 43 medium risk contacts and 89 low risk contacts. 35 direct contacts of case 23 have also been identified.
22 households across Maldives have been placed on lockdown for contact tracing. These include homes in Male', reclaimed suburbs Hulhumale', Ha. Vashafaru, K. Kaashidhoo, southernmost Addu city and Th. Madifushi.
Male' city has now been placed on a full lockdown, and travel between islands will be prohibited effective from 6pm on Friday.
