Health Emergency Operation Centre (HEOC) has stated public support and cooperation is required to lift the travel restrictions imposed in the Maldives due to the spread of COVID-19.
Speaking at a press conference, Spokesperson of HEOC Dr. Fathimath Nazla Rafeeq said travelling without quarantine cannot be permitted before the community spread of COVID-19 is controlled to a certain level. She noted public compliance to COVID-19 control measures is the biggest factor which can speed up the process of lifting restrictions.
Speaking further, Dr. Nazla expressed concern that several people with flu symptoms still choose to go to work and mingle with people instead of staying home and consulting a flu clinic. She also noted some people refuse to provide all details of their contacts, making it difficult to identify the level of exposure. Noting the cooperation of the public is essential towards the efforts to control the spread and return to a normal situation, Dr. Nazla called on the public to comply with the HPA guidelines and follow instructions accordingly.
As per the statistics of HPA, there are currently 963 active cases of COVID-19 in the Maldives, including 86 patients admitted in medical facilities for treatment. A total of 12,608 cases have been reported in the Maldives since COVID-19 was first detected in the country on March 7.