National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) has stated all employees of Kuredu Island Resort will be tested for COVID-19.
The first case of COVID-19 in the Maldives was reported from Kuredu Island Resort on March 8. Four more cases were reported from the resort subsequently, all of whom were foreign nationals. All of them have now fully recovered.
In response to concerns about the resort still being under monitoring, Spokesperson of NEOC Mohamed Mabrook Azeez noted local transmissions had occurred at the resort following an imported case, with a total of five positive cases being reported from the resort. He said the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) of NEOC has decided to test all employees of the resort for COVID-19, as a precautionary measure against a wider spread of the disease.
Meanwhile, an investigation is underway to identify the negligence in allowing the Italian tourist to leave the Maldives despite showing symptoms of COVID-19. As such, the passport of the doctor at the resort has been seized for failing to inform the authorities of the symptoms shown by the Italian tourist, who is believed to have sought assistance from the doctor three times.
The tourist left the Maldives on March 2, after staying at Maagiri Hotel in Male' City the day before departure. Maldives Police Service (MPS) revealed the tourist was initially scheduled to depart on March 1 but was denied entry to the flight after he had lost consciousness while he was at Velana International Airport (VIA). The tourist tested positive for COVID-19 after returning to Italy and informed Maldivian authorities of his result soon after.