Health Emergency Operations Center HEOC Spokesperson Dr. Fathimath Nazla Rafeeq says 8 out of the 38 COVID-19 cases reported from Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll Hoadehdhoo are high-risk patients.
Speaking at the latest press briefing hosted by the HEOC, Dr. Nazla also said contact tracing of the positive cases identified has now identified 202 contacts, and out of those 18 individuals are considered as high-risk contacts.
Further explaining the extent of the local transmission on the island, Dr. Nazla said authorities have now identified the households of 6 percent of the positive individuals. She also said that out of this 19 percent of the households have contacts of previous cases.
Dr. Nazla also clarified that HPA had taken 11 more samples in the last two days which includes 5 contacts of the initial cases as well as an individual with COVID-19 like symptoms.
She added that one sample came back negative and that other samples were pending in the lab.
Authorities have placed Hoadehdhoo under monitoring after detecting a local transmission of the COVID-19 infection on the island after two unrelated COVID-19 cases surfaced from the island. Authorities had also placed the neighboring Madaveli under monitoring as it is connected to Hoadedhoo via a causeway. Manadhoo in Noonu Atoll joins the islands from Gaafu Dhaalu on HPA’s list of islands currently under monitoring.
HPA had said that 28 islands across the country are currently hosting active cases of COVID-19. It also said that 26 resorts have active cases which includes 13 tourists and 39 staff.
