Team of foreign experts arrive in Maldives to assist with COVID19 pandemic

An international team of professionals in the field of emergency medical response coordination arrived in Maldives on Wednesday.

The arrival comes in response to the confirmed cases in Maldives, and the team will be working offering their expertise in the country, as part of a worldwide effort to mitigate the COVID19 pandemic.

According to a press release circulated by the Ministry of Tourism, the group, brought to the country with assistance from the ministry, is made up of health experts hailing from the United States, United Kingdom and South Africa.

The ministry confirmed that two of the team’s members are experienced doctors who will assist with the recently established National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) via its advisory group, while another two are skilled coordinators set to work with the local National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to contain the spread of coronavirus and better facilitate treatment measures for infected persons.

In addition, the team also counts among its members two nurses who will be active in the quarantine facilities located at Vilivaru, Kaafu Atoll and Velidhoo, Alif Alif Atoll, respectively as well as a medical technician who will travel to islands with suspected cases with the first response team.

Prior to this, in an efforts to mitigate the outbreak of coronavirus across Maldives, the Tourism Ministry first moved to install thermal cameras in all airports. The ministry also helped NDMA source various medical equipment and protective material such as masks, for their widespread efforts.

As of now, Maldives currently has 13 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including a tourist couple on a liveaboard, two cases from Anantara Dhigu, five foreign nationals from Kuredu Island Resort as well as two foreign citizens from Sandies Bathala and Kuramathi Maldives each. No locals have tested positive for the virus as of yet.

In the wake of the COVID19 pandemic, Maldivian government presently has several measures in place, including travel bans or heavily monitored incoming travel for certain cities and countries, restricting travel between resorts and local islands, closing all guesthouses across the archipelago, establishing quarantine facilities and flu clinics in populous or vulnerable areas, advising people to pray at home and temporarily closing schools and offices.

Several independent institutions and establishments have followed suit, as demonstrated by the shut down of courts, private colleges and universities, reduction in domestic flights as well as the closing of gyms and other recreational facilities.

The World Health Organization has classified the spread of COVID-19 as a global pandemic. The novel coronavirus has infected more than 219, 000 and claimed over 8, 960 lives around the world. However, out of those infected, more than 85, 670 have recovered.