Director of Research at Maldives National University MNU Dr. Raheema Abdul Raheem says according to the seroprevalence study carried in the Greater Male' Area to determine the extent of the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, around 38,000 people living in the area had been infected with the illness.
Speaking at the latest press briefing held by the Health Emergency Operations Center HEOC, Dr. Raheema said that if the population of the Male' Area was 208,000, then 38,000 people have been infected with the virus.
She said the study showed that 13.3 percent (38,000) of the people who took part in the study had COVID-19 antibodies in their systems and 86.6 percent of the people did not react to the antibodies test.
Dr. Raheema reaffirmed that all the necessary precautions to prevent the spread of the pandemic must still be practiced including regular handwashing and wearing masks in public.
She said that the study showed that one in three expatriates living in the Male' Area may have contracted the illness and 1 in 11 locals living in the capital city have been infected with the pandemic causing virus.
Dr. Raheema said 36.4 percent of foreigners who took part in the study had antibodies in their systems and that 8.5 percent of the locals who took part in the study had the COVID-19 antibody in their bodies.
She said that 4098 people took part in the study and that these include individuals from 4 different age groups.
