All 18 samples taken from employees at the Waste Management Corporation (WAMCO) have tested negative for coronavirus.

WAMCO’s managing director Adam Mohamed confirmed this in an interview on RaajjeTV’s Covid-19 coverage, adding the samples were taken from employees in capital Malé as well as Gulhifalhu.

The 18 employees that samples were taken from were 12 Maldivian and six Bangladeshi workers.

While an employee at WAMCO’s head office had previously tested positive for Covid-19, Adam said that five other employees have been identified as contacts.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) is currently conducting contact tracing of these five individuals.

MD Adam said that any employee that exhibits symptoms have been asked to not report to duty and self-isolate at home.

Following the lockdown imposed in the capital following the detection of a Covid-19 community transmission, WAMCO had temporarily halted services.

While the services were resumed shortly after, the company has instructed customers to leave all household waste at the ground floor of their residences between 12pm to 2pm. Customers are also requested double-bag all waste with special attention to hygiene and ensure that trash bags are only three-quarters full.

While some buildings have been quarantined in relation to confirmed cases, a special team would directly collect waste from each household within these areas.