Health Emergency Operations Center HEOC spokesperson Dr. Fathimath Nazla Rafeeq says authorities were readying to conduct a research that would scale the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
Speaking at the latest news briefing held by the HEOC, Dr. Nazla said that officials were gearing up for the research that would be conducted by performing antibodies tests and were now accumulating the equipment needed to conduct the research.
She also said that authorities were in the midst of writing up study proposals and compiling health research proposals that are required for the research.
However, she said this research can only be conducted once the current outbreak is controlled. She noted that the country was amidst the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and most focus should be given to managing the outbreak that has claimed 29 lives in the Maldives.
Public health officials had previously conducted antibodies-based research among the migrant population in the Male’ Area.
The research showed that 75 percent of the tested individuals had contracted the illness and had since recovered from the pandemic.
