Government offices to remain closed for another week

The Maldivian government, on Wednesday, announced the decision to extend the closure of government offices for another week to curb the spread of the new coronavirus.

The government had made the decision to close government offices for the one-week period from March 19-20 following deliberations within the Cabinet on March 17, advising civil servants to remain at home except in cases of emergencies and for access to essential needs.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, at a press conferenc at the National Emergency Operations Center on Wednesday evening, announced government offices will remain closed for another one-week period, starting from March 29.

Maldives, on March 12, declared a 30-day state of emergency over the COVID-19 pandemic, and has since up ramped up measures to contain and prevent local outbreaks of the virus.

It, in addition to closing government offices, has closed schools and other educational institutions, closed public parks, banned dine-in services at restaurants and cafes, banned check-in of international tourists to guesthouses and city hotels, banned excursions, and banned travel between resorts and residential islands.

It also recently ordered for all inbound air passengers to Maldives, both Maldivian nationals and foreign nationals, with the exception of tourists with resort bookings, to undergo 14-day quarantine at a government designated facility.

Several tourist resorts have been repurposed as quarantine facilities to hold the hundreds of travelers.

13 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Maldives, all of whom are foreign nationals who were either working or vacationing in resorts or safaris. Of the 13 people, five were from Kuredu Island Resort, two from Sandies Bathala, two from Kuramathi Island Resort, two from Anantara Dhigu, and two from Island Safari-1.

Eight have since recovered, but continue to be closely monitored in isolation facilities.

Maldivian health authorities have warned the success in containing the virus so far did not make the risk the virus posed to the general population any less.

People have been urged to remain vigilant and stay at home.