Confirmed Covid-19 patients from Manadhoo island in Noonu atoll are to be moved to an isolation facility on Saturday.

Speaking on RaajjeTV’s Covid-19 coverage on Friday night, the island’s council President Mohamed Umar said that nine of the 34 samples collected from the island had tested positive for Covid-19.

He noted that these are contacts of the previously confirmed case from the island.

Noting that work is underway to move them to an isolation facility, Umar said that this will be done sometime on Saturday. They will be moved to Iru Fushi in the same atoll.

They are currently under isolation on the island, including in guesthouses.

The council president added that there was a delay in moving them to isolation due to a power cut on the island, following thunderstorms.

While Fenaka Corporation’s Managing Director, Ahmed Saeed, told RaajjeTV that they were working to fix the issue that arose due to flood water reaching the cables inside the island’s powerhouse. A temporary solution has since been provided.

An elderly woman that was transferred from Manadhoo to capital’s Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) had tested positive for Covid-19 on May 1. The 80-year-old woman was admitted at IGMH due to some other health issues and had not exhibited any Covid-19 like symptoms, but doctors decided to test her for the virus as per procedure. Two additional tests were carried out; second test was negative while a third came back positive.

At least 17 healthcare workers were placed under isolation, in relation to the case.