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Furaveri and Riu resorts under monitoring over suspected virus cases

Fathmath Shaahunaz
18 March 2020, MVT 10:41
Tourism Minister Ali Waheed (L) speaks to the press on the COVID-19 situation in Maldives. PHOTO: AHMED AWSHAN ILYAS / MIHAARU
Fathmath Shaahunaz
18 March 2020, MVT 10:41

Health Protection Agency (HPA) enacted monitoring measures on Furaveri Island Resort and Hotel Riu Palace on Tuesday night.

Two foreign nationals from Furaveri and one from Riu, who began to exhibit COVID-19 like symptoms, are currently under home-isolation and being tested for the coronavirus.

All travel to and from the two resort islands will be prohibited as per monitoring protocols, until the agency receives their test results.

HPA also placed the resorts Gili Lankanfushi, Four Seasons Landaagiravaru and Anantara Kihavah under monitoring over suspected virus cases this week.

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.

The island national announced a state of public health emergency, under which the government has implemented several measures. This includes travel restrictions to and from resorts, and temporary suspension of tourist check-ins in guesthouses and hotels around the country.

In addition, Maldives has banned entry from China, Italy, Iran, Bangladesh, Spain, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, and parts of South Korea, France and Germany.

The World Health Organization has classified the spread of COVID-19 as a global pandemic. The novel coronavirus has infected more than 198,000 and claimed over 7,900 lives around the world. However, out of those infected, more than 72,600 have recovered.

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