Public health authorities have confirmed a community transmission of the Covid-19 pandemic in Kudahuvadhoo island of Dhaalu atoll, following the detected of 13 coronavirus infections from the island.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) place the island under monitoring on March 17 after the first few cases were confirmed.

The Health Emergency Operations Center (HEOC) revealed that the island was placed under monitoring for contact tracing and case investigation, after six samples collected from symptomatic individuals working at Kudahuvadhoo Airport, returned positive for the virus.

With the new cases confirmed, a total of 19 coronavirus infections have been confirmed in the island.

With this the health authority has urged those who have travelled to and from the islands after February 26, to inform their respective health centers and hospitals, immediately.

Those who travelled to Kudahuvadhoo have also been urged to undergo the mandatory quarantine period of 14 days, in their respective islands.

The 13 new cases include 10 contacts of the previous cases, two through active surveillance as well as a symptomatic case.

Further, HPA has urged those who travelled to capital Malé City from the island after February 26 to attend the flu clinics located in the Greater Malé Region for Covid-19 testing. These individuals will be required to undergo the mandatory quarantine period despite their tests coming back negative for the infection.

Monitoring measures are being implemented across a number of islands nationwide, following the detection of coronavirus among the island communities. Recently, Thoddoo island in Alif Alif atoll was also placed under monitoring for authorities to conduct contact tracing.

According to the Health Protection Agency (HPA), 21 new infections of the coronavirus pandemic were confirmed across residential islands on Friday. Due to an increase in the caseload over the past couple of weeks, authorities have been enforcing stricter measures nationwide, including mandating Malé residents to provide negative PCR test results prior to traveling to islands with special permission for essential travel.