Authorities have announced plans to collect random samples from within the community to understand the extent of community spread of COVID-19 in the Maldives.
The Maldives took strict precautions to contain the spread of COVID-19. However, the government recently granted relief on some of the lockdown measures in place. Additional restrictions will be lifted on Wednesday under the second stage of the 'new normal'. The number of positive cases has been declining to a greater extent over the past few days, and most of the infected people have now recovered.
In a news brief held by National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC), the Health Protection Agency's epidemiologist Dr Ibrahim Afzal said while it had been almost two weeks since relief was granted on some the lockdown measures, a special task is ongoing to study the extent of the transmission to determine if the reliefs granted contributed to any increase in the number of positive cases.
He said the samples would be collected from five categories: frontline workers, those working at the response centres, people above 65-years-old, those residing at congested venues, and people between the ages of 20 to 30. The doctor urged public cooperation in collecting samples.
A health official collecting a random sample
