The Health Emergency Operations Centre (HEOC) on Thursday announced that COVID-19 testing is now available at Hulhumale’ Hospital.
The Maldives began PCR testing for COVID-19 in February.
HEOC’s Spokesperson, Dr. Nazla Rafeeq said the government is working to increase testing capacity in both Male’ city and in the atolls. In this regard, PCR testing arrangements have now been facilitated at Hulhumale’ Hospital, said Dr. Nazla. Although minimal testing was carried out in the past, almost 2,000 tests are now being conducted daily, noted the doctor.
Testing capacity is also being increased in the atolls. In this regard, 1,000 to 1,300 tests are conducted daily in the greater Male’, K. atoll, Aa. atoll, ADh. atoll, V. atoll zone. The capacity will be increased further when the Food and Drug Authority obtains a PCR machine later this month.
Additionally, upto 60 tests are being conducted daily in the zone that includes Ha., HDh., and Sh. atoll. The government is attempting to increase this capacity to 200 tests per day. While 80 tests are conducted daily in the N., R., B., and Lh. atoll zone, 60 tests are conducted daily in the southern atoll zone which includes Fuvahmulah and Addu city. The M., F., Dh., Th., and L. atoll zone carry out 40 tests per day. The same number of tests are conducted daily in Huvadhu atoll, the area in which the second most number of cases have been identified.
The Maldives has recorded over 8,600 positive cases and 31 deaths to date.
