Health Protection Agency HPA Epidemiologist Dr. Ibrahim Afzal says about 100 individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 recently in the Maldives have refused to be shifted to isolation facilities.
Speaking at the latest Health Emergency Operation Center HEOC news briefing, Dr. Afzal said that the HPA is working to shift 359 individuals with COVID-19 to isolation facilities and most of the delays cannot be attributed to the agency.
Dr. Afzal said 85 of the COVID-19 patients have completely declined to be transferred to an isolation facility and that 15 others were awaiting test results of family members before being shifted to the facilities.
Dr. Afzal said that HPA has been unable to contact 14 other positive patients and the delay in transferring 22 others can be attributed to the HPA. He did not clarify the reasoning behind the missing number of COVID-19 patients that are yet to be placed under isolation.
Meanwhile, HEOC Spokesperson Dr. Fathimath Nazla Rafeeq said last night that the authorities were having discussions on forming a guideline that would allow COVID-19 patients to isolate themselves at home. But she said certain matters should be in place before home isolation of COVID-19 patients is sanctioned.
Latest HPA statistics show that while 1427 individuals have been isolated in government-run facilities across the country, 144 remained hospitalized for further treatment.
HPA also said that active cases of COVID-19 in the country have now reached 2407 with a total of 6225 individuals now tested positive for COVID-19 in the Maldives.
