Health Protection Agency HPA has placed Raa Atoll Dhuvaafaru under monitoring after a family of three tested positive for COVID-19 in the island.
HPA said that the family had traveled back to Dhuvaafaru having stayed in Male’ and were placed under home quarantine.
They were allowed to go back to the community after HPA had declared that they were negative for COVID-19 but reversed this decision two days later after their tests came back positive for the virus.
HPA warned that this might cause a potential community spread in the island and that the authorities were now in the process of contact tracing the positive cases.
HPA had placed the island under monitoring and has banned unauthorized entry or exit from the island.
Meanwhile, speaking to the ‘The Press’ about the case, Vice President at Dhuvaafaru council Hawwa Sameela said that the three individuals include a couple and their child.
She said on the 19th of June, 11 individuals traveled to the island and were placed under home quarantine for 14 days. She clarified that upon the completion of the 14 days, their samples were taken and sent to HPA for testing.
She said that once HPA confirmed that all 11 were negative for the virus, they were released from quarantine two days back. But she said that HPA had indicated that they needed samples from four of the 11 released for further investigations and it has now been revealed that three of the four tested positive for COVID-19.
Four other islands have reported instances where individuals who traveled back from Male’ Area and having been placed under home isolation or quarantine have tested positive for the highly infectious illness.
