About 146 COVID-19 samples that were collected from Kaafu Atoll Himmafushi has returned negative.

Speaking at the NEOC press conference, Spokesperson Mohamed Mabrook Abdul Aziz said that random samples were collected from Asseyri Jail, Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Center (DTRC), industrial zone and the general public of Hinmafushi.

Mabrook said that further surveillance samples were collected from DTRC to see if there is a community spread following the outbreak at the rehabilitation center.

The island went under monitoring status on Friday after three of the ten samples collected from the rehab center tested positive for COVID-19.

On Saturday’s press conference, Dr. Nazla Rafeeq said that it is believe that the DTRC cases are connected to a group of people that went to the rehab facility from Male’ City. And although the DTRC have been under lock down since 22 April, some employees have gone outside without the knowledge of the management.