Some islands in northern atolls have been placed under monitoring status after the screening process for COVID-19 detected a person who traveled to Haa Alif Uligamu as positive for coronavirus. Authorities are conducting further tests to confirm if the person is infected with COVID-19.
According to reports, the person traveled from capital Male' to Haa Alif Uligamu on a boat named "Kaaviyaa" on April 15. The vessel made scheduled stops at islands in Haa Alif and Haa Dhaal atoll; Vaikaradhoo, Hirimaradhoo, Nolhivaramfaru, Ihavandhoo and Thakandhoo island.
Since people aboard the vessel had disembarked at all five destinations in addition to Uligamu, the islands have now been placed on the monitoring status as per the instruction of Health Protection Agency (HPA).
51 cases of COVID-19 have been detected in the Maldives, out of which 31 cases were identified in capital Male' region. While Male' has been placed on 14-day lockdown, its alert level has been upgraded to 'red'. Inter-island travel has also been banned, and congregational prayers across Maldives have been suspended.
