Health Protection Agency (HPA)'s epidemiologist Dr Ibrahim Afzal confirmed late Wednesday that one of the positive cases of COVID-19 in capital Male' was detected via random sampling.
Speaking at the National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC)'s daily virtual press conference, Dr Afzal stated that the number of confirmed cases from random samples are likely to increase.
"... as random sampling is being conducted extensively across Male', we expect to detect additional focuses", he said.
In addition to the capital, COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in Uligan in Haa Alif Atoll, Narudhoo and Milandhoo in Shaviyani Atoll, and Thulusdhoo in Kaafu Atoll.
Maldives recorded its first death from the coronavirus on Wednesday night.
Presently, Maldives has 280 confirmed and 262 active cases of COVID-19, with a total of 17 recoveries.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified the spread of COVID-19 as a global pandemic. The new strain of novel coronavirus has infected over 3.2 million people and claimed over 228,200 lives around the world. However, out of those infected, more than a million people have recovered.