More than 2,000 backlog samples amid surging Covid-19 cases

At a time Maldives Covid-19 caseload has been surging alarmingly as the country has been hit with yet another wave, RaajjeMV understands that there are over 2,000 backlog samples.

Earlier, the public health authorities revealed that due to the travel restrictions in place in the face of a worsening Covid-19 outbreak, travelers from the capital region will be required to obtain a negative PCR certification.

Since then, there has been growing demand for PCR testing, with the capital region residents thronging the sample collected centers in large groups.

RaajjeMV understands that there are over 2,000 backlog samples, results of which remain pending.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has revealed that there are many samples in pending, and that although they aim to provide sample results within 48 – 72 hours, there are samples overdue this period.

With this being said, the healthcare authority revealed that they are currently making efforts to boost their capacity.

This comes at a time HPA has been on the receiving end of immense public criticism, especially at a time islanders are facing delays in returning home before schools reopen.

There have also been reports linking the massive delay in acquiring test results to “fake” negative certification being circulated by some tourists looking to depart from the Maldives. As such, these results are currently being reviewed by the Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH).

HPA revealed that sample will only be re-run and re-checked at IGMH.

With the spike in cases in recent days, public health authorities are currently collecting samples at an average of 5,000 – 7,000 on a daily basis.