The government has established a PCR sampling station in Hulhumale' to screen tourists departing from the Maldives after staying on liveaboards.
The station, located at the jetty area in Hulhumale', began screening tourists on August 11. The station was established the Ministry of Tourism, Housing Development Corporation (HDC), Health Protection Agency (HPA) and Maldives Police Service (MPS), in colloboration with the National Boating Association of Maldives (NBAM).
NBAM stated liveaboard operators should share details of the tourists for PCR testing. The operators have been advised to send details in advance, so that test results could be made available before the tourists depart from the Maldives.
Stakeholders have been engaged in close collaboration with the government in an effort to implement safety measures and guidelines issued by the HPA, at a time the borders of the Maldives have reopened with strict safety measures. The tourism ministry and the HPA have issued guidelines on reopening the Maldives for tourists and all tourist facilities.
As per the guidelines, operators could communicate with focal points of regional hospitals and arrange testing for all tourist arriving in the Maldives to stay in liveaboards, in case test arrangements are unavailable on the vessels. However, all liveaboards have been required to keep a stock of UTM testing kits on board the vessels.