Health Emergency Operation Centre (HEOC) has warned of an outbreak in resorts, following the increasing number of COVID-19 cases reported in resorts.
Speaking at a press conference, Dr. Ahmed Shaheed from the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) said a new trend has been observed from the COVID-19 cases reported in recent weeks. In this regard, Dr. Shaheed noted the number of cases from resorts and other tourist facilities have increased significantly, amid the peak season of tourism. He said the situation has been caused by the large number of tourist arrivals from several high-risk countries.
Dr. Shaheed urged resorts and tourist facilities to take special precautions to prevent an outbreak in the resorts. As such, he highlighted the importance of detecting COVID-19 symptoms early and immediately isolating any tourist or staff showing symptoms. He also called for strict adherence to the health and safety guidelines of Health Protection Agency (HPA), with regards to hygiene and social distancing.
Maldives reopened its borders for tourists on July 15, more than three months after borders were closed due to COVID-19. Since reopening borders, 108 individuals have tested positive for COVID-19 from tourist facilities in the Maldives.
The guidelines of Health Protection Agency (HPA) requires medical officers to be allocated in all resorts when resuming operations. All resorts are also mandated to follow a strict Standard Operational Procedure (SOP) to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among tourists and staff.