The Health Emergency Operation Centre (HEOC) has urged public cooperation in testing for COVID-19 antibody.
HEOC is carrying out a program to determine the number of people who may have unknowingly contracted COVID-19 and later recovered. HEOC said the testing is now underway and that the first stage of testing has now been completed. Samples were collected from children below the age of 18. Samples of those above the age of 18 will be collected during the second phase.
Dr. Ibrahim Afzal from HEOC Wednesday said the antibody tests are being done on random members of the community. Those chosen to be tested will receive a text message via their phones. He requested those who receive the message to go to the designated antibody sampling centres between 4:00pm to 7:00pm to complete testing.
The Maldives National University ‘s Faculty of Health Sciences and Faculty of Education in Male’ has been established as antibody sampling centres. Little Gem Preschool in Hulhumale’ and the VilliMale’ Hospital so collect samples for antibody testing.
The Maldives has recorded 11,316 cases of COVID-19 to date. While 37 deaths have been recorded, the recovery percentage is over 90 percent of COVID-19 patients.
