COVID-19: Dhevvadhoo under monitoring following 10 positive cases

10 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in G. A. Dhevvadhoo, prompting Health Protection Agency (HPA) to place the island under monitoring.

Dhevvadhoo councilor Maumoon Ibrahim told Sun the first cases were identified on December 24, when two people under home quarantine tested positive, including a four-month child.

Maumoon said that the regional hospital initially informed the family that the child tested negative for COVID-19, and that several people therefore had contact with the child.

The people who had contact were placed under isolation after the test later came back positive.

One of the contacts has tested positive.

“The person wasn’t quarantined in a residence. The person’s residence wasn’t under monitoring. People who live in the person’s residence began showing symptoms after the person in question tested positive. And it is being said that people from the fishing boat where one of them works are also showing symptoms,” said Maumoon.

Maumoon said that those said to be showing symptoms remained free to roam around the island despite the rumors. He said that the Dhevvadhoo health center later tested the residents of the house, and the results on seven of them came back positive.

One of the positive cases is above the age of 65 years.

HPA placed the island under monitoring this Thursday.

“There’s a community spread in this island. Everyone was moving freely outside,” said Maumoon.

Maumoon said that several more are showing symptoms consistent with COVID-19, and the council expects the number of positive cases to go up.

He said that the community spread did not take place due to any quarantine violation.

Dhevvadhoo Council has advised all residents to take precautionary measures and stay home, and to adhere to the instructions of the health authorities.