Health Protection Agency (HPA) has said that they will begin collecting random samples for COVID testing as a precautionary measure.

HPA said that they decided to collect random samples from different islands from the atoll as a precautionary measure. According to them, ferry patrons and shopkeepers will be the main target for this program.

However, they did not reveal for how long the sample collection will go on neither a maximum amount of samples that would be connected.

The decision to take random samples in Addu comes after the number of cases in Gaafu Alif Atoll Dhevvadhoo recently spiked, after which cases have been discovered in the nearby islands.

The Dhevvadhoo Cluster has so far 69 confirmed patients.