Health Protection Agency HPA epidemiologist Dr. Ibrahim Afzal says the number of Indians tested positive for Covid-19 in the Maldives are rising as India continues to evacuate its citizens stranded here in the country.

Addressing the media in the latest press briefing held regarding Covid-19, Dr. Afzal said HPA officials have noticed recently the number of Indians tested positive for Covid-19 in the Maldives has increased.

The latest data on Covid-19 in the Maldives shows that 104 Indians have tested positive for Covid-19. HPA has also confirmed that three Indians who returned home via the evacuations ships arranged by the Indian government had also tested positive for Covid-19.

The Indian government has evacuated 1488 of its citizens stranded in the Maldives via two navy ships that have made trips to the Maldives within the last two weeks.

Indian High Commission in the Maldives said in a tweet that Indians evacuated from the Maldives include 133 pregnant/medical cases and 38 children.

It also said Indians from 22 cities were evacuated via these ships and that process of evacuation will continue through the air to different cities and ships to TN in the coming weeks