Second Covid-19 patient from Malé is a toddler: HPA
15 އެޕްރީލު 2020 | ބުދަ 20:17HPA revealed this via Twitter, shortly after announcing a second individual had tested positive in the capital
From a Covid-19 preparedness drill in the capital
The second Covid-19 patient from the capital is a toddler.
Health Protection Agency (HPA) announced this via Twitter shortly after revealing that a second individual has tested positive from Malé City.
It further noted that the toddler is the child of the first patient confirmed in the city earlier on Wednesday.
HPA revealed that an individual in Malé had tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday morning. This 'Patient 21' was tested after presenting to the flu clinic in Malé, having developed Covid-19 like symptoms, despite having no travel history or known contact with a Covid-19 patient. This is the first sign of a community spread in the country, since all previous cases of tourists at resorts or Maldivians that returned from abroad and were placed in quarantine immediately.
While 54 contacts of the first patient was placed under isolation, 11 samples were taken from direct contacts for testing. With the exception to the child, HPA said that all samples tested negative.
HPA also revealed that 14 contacts of the first patient are being moved to isolation facility in Hulhulé Island Hotel after showing Covid-19 like symptoms, late Wednesday night.
Maldives has confirmed a total of 22 positive Covid-19 cases since March 7, with the last two being discovered within the past 24 hours.
Malé City was put into a 24-hour lockdown shortly after authorities announced the discovery of a positive case from the city.
