Government offices, schools temporarily closed

In light of an unprecedented increase in COVID-19 positives within the country, schools and government offices have been closed for ten days.

Spokesperson to the President, Mabrook Abdul Azeez said during the media briefing held by Health Emergency Operation Center (HEOC) on Monday, that eight main restrictions will be placed in hopes to control the spread the COVID-19 within Maldives.

Two of the major decisions include temporarily halting physical attendance to both schools and government offices.

All restrictions will be in effect until 15 May.

New restrictions placed

- Face-to-face classes cancelled and changed to online schooling

- All government jobs transferred to work from home

- Parks, swimming tracks, and other public areas closed

- All sports events to be halted in Greater Male' Area

- Increase social distancing in mosques; HPA encouraged everyone wear masks and bring their own prayer mats to the mosque

- Travel within the islands restricted unless for an essential purpose; essential travel from the Greater Male' Area to other islands, including industrial islands, will require a ten day quarantine and a negative PCR test.

- Looser travel regulations placed due to given to those that has taken two doses of the vaccine to be halted temporarily

- Ban of vehicles within Greater Male' Area from 0000hrs-0400hrs

- Maldivian travelers from India and work permit holders, will be required to quarantine for 14 days, and then take a negative PCR test

Mabrook urged everyone to comply with the current restrictions and warned that if cases keep on increasing the way the do right now, further restrictive measures may be required. Even though Mabrook announced Monday evening that schools would be closed for ten days, Education Ministry has said on Tuesday they will be closed for a week. In this period all students from kindergartners to twelfth graders will be shifting classes to online classes.

Within the past 24 hours, 585 people have tested positive for COVID-19. There were 6,033 active cases in the country, passing the 6,000 mark for the first time.

With the increasing numbers, hospitalization rates are raising too. HEOC fears the health workers and the infrastructure may be stretched too thin to be able to care for the cases.

So far, 74 people have passed away due to COVID-19 in Maldives.