Addu City Council has suspended dine-in services from cafes and restaurants in the city due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases.
As per the announcement released by Addu City Council on February 8, cafes and restaurants in the city are only permitted to provide take-away and delivery services. Street vendors are banned until further notice, while shops are required to limit the number of customers served at the same time. Furthermore, all gatherings in public spaces have been prohibited.
As per the latest statistics of Health Protection Agency (HPA), there are currently 48 active COVID-19 cases in Addu City, including 25 cases from Hulhumeedhoo and 18 cases from the connected wards of Hithadhoo, Feydhoo, Maradhoo and Maradhoo-feydhoo. The 25 cases reported from Hulhumeedhoo were all expatriates working at the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC)’s site in the island. All random samples taken from the island have so far tested negative for COVID-19. Meanwhile, the 18 cases reported from the connected wards are related to the cluster formed from the Aviation Command Centre in Gan.
Addu City Mayor Abdull Sodiq said travelling between wards for non-essential purposes have been suspended, as a community-spread situation remains likely. The mayor said healthcare services will be provided by the respective health centre of each ward, as Addu Equatorial Hospital (AEH) has temporarily suspended its specialist OPD service.