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HPA shortens post-travel quarantine period to 10 days

Mariyam Malsa
02 December 2020, MVT 16:48
Capital Male’ in the ‘new normal’ amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. PHOTO: MIHAARU
Mariyam Malsa
02 December 2020, MVT 16:48

The Health Protection Agency (HPA), on Wednesday, shortened the standard quarantine period to 10 days, effective from December 4 onwards.

As per the agency, the shorter quarantine period would be applicable to all individuals entering Maldives excluding tourists, individuals departing from the capital city of Male' or any inhabited island with an operating guesthouse, as well as people departing from resorts.

Individuals will be released from quarantine following the conclusion of the 10 day period after undergoing a PCR test.

The agency also revealed that employees tasked with providing essential services or involved in the implementation of projects would be allowed to leave the capital city of Male' after presenting a negative COVID-19 test conducted within 72 hours prior to departure.

However, HPA highlighted that the quarantine period for individuals that test positive for COVID-19 or come into direct contact with such individuals would remain fixed at 14 days.

In conjunction with the aforementioned leniency, HPA mandated wearing face masks in all inhabited islands across Maldives as well as islands with airports, in addition to social distancing measures in public areas.

Maldives currently records a total of 13,049 virus cases of which 1,027 are active cases, in addition to 11,968 recoveries and 47 deaths.

During August, authorities tightened the safety measures implemented in the Greater Male' region, following an alarming upsurge of COVID-19 cases after the state initiated efforts to steer the country towards a 'new normal' with the phased easing of lockdown restrictions.

After a long period of recording over 100 daily cases, the numbers fell to two-digits during the most part of September. Throughout October the numbers had slipped further down below 50, with a few spikes on rare occasions, including the recent spikes as a result of four new virus clusters.

Within this same period, the number of recoveries saw a significant increase, bringing the number of recovered cases to over 90 percent.

Despite the sustained decrease in virus cases, HPA has renewed calls for citizens to adhere to protective measures to contain the spread of the virus, cautioning against a public sentiment that the outbreak has been “controlled”.

On March 12, WHO classified the spread of COVID-19 as a global pandemic. To date, the new strain of novel coronavirus has infected over 64.2 million people and claimed over 1.4 million lives around the world. However, out of those infected, more than 44.5 million people have recovered.

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