Most of the workers were asymptomatic and are isolating at special treatment centres, said Nilton do Carmo da Silva, Coordinator of the Pillar VII CoVID-19 taskforce, but dozens more  workers could be at risk of infection.

Manufahi, which has 70 health workers, is battling a new outbreak believed to be driven by the more transmissible Delta variant,  which has now cut its medical team to 16 people.

Across Timor-Leste , health workers in Dili, Ermera and Maubesi have tested positive to COVID-19, according to Silva, although the exact number has not been released.

Silva said despite the impact COVID-19 was having on medical staff “routine health services for essential treatment and serving patients with COVID-19 continued” nation-wide.

On Tuesday, Timor-Leste reported 187 new COVID-19 infections, with 77 in Dili and 63 in Covalima, bringing the total number of active cases to 3,383.

In his latest address, Prime Minister Taur Matan urged citizens to get COVID-19 vaccinated amid fear about the safety of it.

Ruak referred to the “worrying advance of the Delta variant of Coronavirus, which is considered by experts as very contagious” and that “it is scientifically proven that the vaccine is the most effective means of preventing the most severe cases of the disease, increasing the possibility of avoiding the risk of death”.

To reach the coveted group immunity Timor-Leste seeks to vaccinate around 80% of the population by year-end.

Around 49.1% of Timor-Leste’s adult population have received one COVID-19 vaccine and 23% of adult population have received a double dose, according to health data.