STO to Bring a COVID-19 Testing Machine

Monday 20th of April 2020

STO to Bring a COVID-19 Testing Machine

State Trading Organization (STO) is to introduce a COVID-19 testing machine to the Maldives. The government spokesperson Mabrook Azeez has stated that STO is working on bringing a COVID-19 testing machine, and they will most likely bring it to the Maldives by next month.

Further, STO is also working on bringing more test kits as well. Mabrook has stated that they have 500 kits to test through blood, and 3500 kits to test through PCR. In addition to that, 20,000 kits aided by China and 5,000 kits aided by WHO will reach the Maldives soon.

Maldives has reported 52 confirmed cases of COVID-19 so far. The country’s numbers doubled in just a day on 19th April, urgently increasing the need for more facilities in the situation. The Health Protection Agency (HPA)'s Medical Officer Dr. Nazla Rafeeq said if inadequate precautionary measures are taken, over 96,000 people are at the risk of being infected with the virus. However, such a situation can be avoided with appropriate precautionary measures, said Dr. Nazla.