The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has revealed that authorities will be isolating all Maldivians arriving at the archipelago from foreign countries.
An announcement issued by HPA on Wednesday said all Maldivians arriving from the US will be isolated at a facility arranged by the government for a period of 14 days while Maldivians arriving from other countries will be subjected to home isolation for two weeks. The practice will be in effect until further notice from the agency, said HPA.
As per the policies followed by HPA to curb the spread of COVID-19, residents of the Maldives arriving from severely affected areas are being placed in isolation. The policy is still in effect.
13 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the Maldives thus far. All 13 people are foreigners either vacationing or employed at local resorts. No locals have tested positive for the virus thus far. The State of Public Health Emergency has been declared in the island nation for a period of 30 days.
The government has stepped up its efforts to prevent the further spread of the virus in the recent days. In this regard, all schools and colleges have been closed as well as private tuition classes, gyms, theatres and cinemas. Government offices will be closed from 19 to 26 March and government employees have been asked not to leave their homes unless absolutely necessary. Furthermore, all guesthouses on local islands have been closed and congregational prayers and Friday prayers have been temporarily halted at all mosques in the capital and its nearby resorts.
