President sends team to Narudhoo to inquire on Covid-19 situation, help plan strategy
The team comprised of Health Minister Ameen, Defence Chief Shamaal, Police Commissioner Hameed and TAG's Dr. Ali Latheef
Health Minister Abdulla Ameen and team in Narudhoo island | Health Ministry
Senior government officials as well as a medical experts’ team was in Narudhoo island of Shaviyani atoll, on Sunday.
Covid-19 taskforce’s spokesperson Mohamed Mabrook Aziz revealed that the team had visited the island on President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s orders given the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases there.
While they have since left the island, this team comprised of Health Minister Abdulla Ameen, Defence Chief Abdulla Shamaal, Police Commissioner Mohamed Hameed as well as Dr. Ali Latheef from the Covid-19 Technical Advisory Group (TAG).
Mabrook said that the team was sent there to check on the Covid-19 related arrangements, given that there is a possibility of a community spread there with 11 people having tested positive already.
He said that the team also inspected the areas designated for Covid-19 related treatment, as well as held discussions with the island’s taskforce on a strategy for the coming days.
Narudhoo taskforce’s chair, Musthafa Moosa, spoke on the team’s visit on RaajjeTV’s Covid-19 coverage on Sunday night.
Noting that the team had inquired on the situation on the island and the taskforce’s work as well as the availability of healthcare equipment, Moosa said that they had given full assurance to provide all necessary assistance to overcome current challenges.
Further, Moosa noted that a total of 52 samples were taken from the island and that the results of 29 are pending.
Noting that the positive cases discovered on the island are in relation to ‘Amaaz’ boat, whose captain tested positive for coronavirus after taking 98 passengers to a number of islands in the north, Moosa said that the cases emerged from “three areas”.
He said that all contacts of confirmed cases are being monitored closely, as well as other households, and added that the island’s residents have been abiding by the measures placed there.
Narudhoo has been under monitoring since April 25, with 13 houses on the island quarantined.
With a population of about 600 people, the highest number of Covid-19 cases have been discovered in Narudhoo excluding the capital city.
