National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) has stated samples have been collected from a total of 649 employees in Kuredu Island Resort and the island will be removed from monitoring once the results of all the samples come back negative for COVID-19.
All employees in Kuredu have been in lockdown after 5 positive cases were reported in the resort. The measure was taken to ensure there is no community spread in the resort from the first cases. The Technical Advisory Group (TAG) of NEOC has decided to release all individuals currently stranded in the resort after testing them for COVID-19.
Speaking at the daily press briefing, Spokesperson of NEOC Mabrook Azeez said the result of 74 samples remains pending and the resort will be removed from the monitoring status once all results come in negative for COVID-19. Mabrook additionally said the employees who test negative for COVID-19 will be permitted to leave the resort.
The first COVID-19 cases in the Maldives were reported from Kuredu following an imported case. An Italian tourist who left the country after staying in Kuredu tested positive for COVID-19 and the resort doctor who had direct contact with the patient tested positive for COVID-19 later. An additional four direct contacts in Kuredu tested positive for COVID-19, all of whom have now successfully recovered.
Earlier, NEOC announced the first 173 samples collected from Kuredu Island Resort had tested negative for COVID-19.