Health Protection Agency (HPA) has mandated face masks to be worn in public in all islands of the Maldives.
HPA mandated wearing face masks in all islands following the sharp rise of COVID-19 cases in the country once again. The number of cases has been increasing over the past few weeks, with daily case numbers reaching 300 this week.
Following the rise in cases, HPA has strengthened safety measures in order to contain the spread of the virus. Maldives Police Service (MPS) revealed it will be enforcing the measures imposed by HPA in all islands of the Maldives.
The risk of COVID-19 transmission is the highest through droplets discharged from the nose or mouth when talking, coughing, or sneezing. Therefore, HPA has urged the public to ensure face masks are worn when out in public or with groups of people. HPA has also urged to limit the number of gatherings and to practice social distancing.
A new peak in COVID-19 cases is expected to be reached in the Maldives over the next few weeks. The spread of COVID-19 has been accelerating throughout the world once again due to the highly transmissible Omicron variant.