National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) has stated the current level of the spread of COVID-19 in the Maldives is not too high to lift the lockdown restrictions.
Speaking at the daily press briefing, Dr. Ibrahim Afzal from the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) of NEOC stated lockdown restrictions will be lifted in the Maldives according to the guidelines set by World Health Organisation (WHO). Dr. Afzal said detecting a total of 50 new cases per day is not alarming considering the population density of Male’. He added the number is not too high to think about lifting some of the lockdown restrictions in the country.
Speaking further, the doctor said although the number of new cases per day has not been contained within single figures, the best course of action is to gradually and carefully ease restrictions in order to begin the journey to a new normal. He also said the restrictions will not be lifted rapidly, adding the situation will be carefully analysed upon each phase of easing the restrictions before moving on to the next phase.
The initial projections of COVID-19 in the Maldives suggested the outbreak would hit its peak during the last two weeks of May. However, NEOC has acknowledged the number of new cases identified on a daily basis has been controlled within a certain level in the past few weeks, attributing to public compliance to the safety measures put in place by the administration.