The Technical Advisory Group (TAG) of the National Emergency Operations Centre has stated that there is a high risk that the COVID-19 pandemic will spread in the islands if those in home-quarantine do not follow the instructions of the authorities.
The Health Protection Agency has developed a guideline on home-quarantine and permitted some individuals to be placed in home-quarantine. Following the change, several people who were stranded in Male’ and overseas have been placed in home-quarantine upon their return to the islands.
Among them, three people who travelled from Male' to Ga. Maamendhoo on June 13 have tested positive for the virus.
In the daily news brief held by NEOC, a member of the TAG Team Dr Ahmed Shaheed said there is a possibility that the virus will reach the islands when people travel to the islands. Since there is a community spread in the capital Male’ City, there is a chance that a person might get infected from having been anywhere in the city.
Dr Shaheed said people are allowed to travel to the other islands after they are briefed on the guidelines to be followed, and everyone should abide by those guidelines. He added that the people who travel to the other islands have to stay in home-quarantine for 14 days and urged not to go out without ensuring that there is no infection.
