Government quarantines Kuramathi Resort

Authorities on Tuesday quarantined Kuramathi Island Resort after a tourist exhibited symptoms of COVID-19.

Speaking at a press conference held at Dharubaaruge Convention centre, Mabrouq Abdul Azeez, Communications Undersecretary at the President’s Office, confirmed that efforts were underway to conduct tests on the individual.

Mabrouq further revealed that two flu clinics were successfully established in the capital city of Male'. The clinic located at Senahiya Military Hospital is designated for individuals with symptoms of the virus, without any travel history to a country with a confirmed case of COVID-19. The second facility, located near the Sinamale apartment complexes in capital city Male', is a Travel Clinic for individuals exhibiting symptoms of the virus with recent travel to a country with the outbreak.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) announced that Vilamendhoo was placed under lockdown while a Maldivian employee undergoes testing for COVID-19.

Kuredu Island Resort and Spa was quarantined on Saturday following the first reported cases of the virus in Maldives. The two foreign employees that tested positive in Kuredu Resort are believed to have caught the virus after coming into contact with an Italian tourist. An additional two expatriate workers from the resort were tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday.

The Italian tourist in question, who also transited in Male' from March 1 to 2, tested positive for the virus after returning to Italy. In response, the government quarantined 15 staff of Maagiri Hotel where the individual stayed during the period as well as one employee of Universal Enterprises Pvt Ltd Reservations and Ticketing Agent, with whom the Italian tourist had come into contact with.

The Ticketing Agent employee has since tested negative despite displaying certain symptoms.

Including two additional confirmed cases at the now quarantined Sandies Bathala resort, located in Alif Dhaalu Atoll, the total number of individuals tested positive for COVID-19 in Maldives have reached six.