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HPA extends Greater Male' Region lockdown for 14 more days

Ali Shareef
29 April 2020, MVT 16:05
The lockdown on Greater Male' Region is extended for an additional 14 days, a measure to contain the rapid outbreak of COVID-19 in Maldives. PHOTO: MIHAARU
Ali Shareef
29 April 2020, MVT 16:05

Health Protection Agency (HPA) on Wednesday announced the decision to extend the greater Male' region lockdown for an additional 14 days, as a measure to contain the rapid outbreak of COVID-19 in Maldives.

On April 15, Maldivian authorities placed greater Male' region under lockdown for 24 hours after a Maldivian national living in the capital tested positive for COVID-19. Authorities have since extended the lockdown for an additional 24 hours to conduct contact tracing efforts, before extending the lockdown on April 17, for a period of 14 days ending April 30.

The new directive, in effect from April 30, will place the greater Male’ region including Male', Vilimale' and Hulhumale’ under lockdown for a period of 14 more days. At present, the lockdown is set to expire on Thursday, May 14.

The following measures will be in effect under the lockdown:

- No vehicles and persons are allowed on the streets of Male', Vilimale' and Hulhumale'

- Public transport including bus and ferry services between Male', Hulhumale' and Vilimale' are temporary suspended

- No persons are allowed to enter or leave Male', Villimale', Hulhumale', Thilafushi and Gulhifalhu

The above measures are applicable to all with the exception of the following:

- Officials and vehicles of Maldives Police Service and Maldives National Defence Force

- Ambulances

- Healthcare professionals and their vehicles

- Persons holding a pass issued by the National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC)

- Media holding a pass issued by the National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC)

- Individuals with permits authorized by Maldives Police Service (MPS)

Maldives declared a state of public health emergency on March 12 after the World Health Organization (WHO) recognized COVID-19 as a global pandemic. On April 10, Minister of Health Abdulla Ameen extended the public health emergency duration until April 30.

Since then, capital city Malé, one of the most densely populated cities in the world, has recorded a significant increase in COVID-19 cases. On April 15, the capital recorded its first local transmission of the virus, involving a Maldivian woman that sought assistance from a flu clinic in Malé after developing symptoms.

On Sunday, Maldives reported 73 cases—the highest number of positive confirmations reported within a single day.

Presently, Maldives records 256 confirmed, 239 active cases of COVID-19, with a total of 17 recoveries.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified the spread of COVID-19 as a global pandemic. The new strain of novel coronavirus has infected over 3.14 million people and claimed over 218,300 lives around the world. However, out of those infected, more than 962,700 people have recovered,

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