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HPA mandates 10-day quarantine for arrivals from UK

Shahudha Mohamed
27 December 2020, MVT 09:06
Tourists arriving at Velana International Airport (VIA). PHOTO: MIHAARU
Shahudha Mohamed
27 December 2020, MVT 09:06

Health Protection Agency (HPA), on Saturday, declared that locals who spend over 12 hours in United Kingdom (UK) and foreigners arriving from UK on work visas will be required to undergo 10 days of quarantine upon arrival.

This decision was made shortly after a new COVID-19 variant was confirmed in UK, and has now spread to France and Spain.

As per HPA’s announcement, in addition to being placed under quarantine, the travellers will be tested for COVID-19 on the fifth day after arrival, and again 10 days later.

The announcement was made a very few days after HPA stopped quarantining individuals upon arrival.

Authorities worldwide are currently on alert over the new virus variant, which is reportedly 70 times more contagious and more difficult to control.

Maldives took measures against the variant a few days after some countries stirred into action, imposing travel bans and declaring curfews.

At present, Maldives records a total of 13,618 virus cases of which 513 are active cases, in addition to 13,050 recoveries and 48 deaths.

On March 12, WHO classified the spread of COVID-19 as a global pandemic. To date, the new strain of novel coronavirus has infected over 80.4 million people and claimed over 1.7 million lives around the world. However, out of those infected, more than 56.6 million people have recovered.

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