Police revealed that two individuals were arrested for violating the current travel ban within the country by rowing from Kurinbi Island in Haa Dhaalu Atoll to Kulhudhufushi Island in the same atoll.
As per Police, a 28-year-old and 21-year-old man travelled from Kurinbi to Kulhudhufushi via a canoe. They were arrested near Kulhudhufushi airport area around 2330 hours on Sunday.
Additionally, Police stated that those arrested did not attain the necessary permits to go from one island to the other while the travel ban remained in effect.
The incident is under further investigation by Police.
Health Protection Agency (HPA) on April 16 declared a travel ban on all islands across Maldives as a precautionary measure to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the country.
This was in addition to the lockdown imposed on greater Male' region from April 15 till May 1.
Authorities tightened the precautionary measures amidst the pandemic following the first confirmed case of community spread in Male' City, MAV021, a local female with no recent travel history, who presented to the flu clinic in Male after developing symptoms. She was tested positive on April 15.
With this new development, Maldives records 226 confirmed, 209 active and two probable cases of COVID-19, with a total of 17 recoveries.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified the spread of COVID-19 as a global pandemic. The new strain of novel coronavirus has infected over 3 million people and claimed over 207,200 lives around the world. However, out of those infected, more than 883,200 people have recovered.
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