Man arrested after travelling between Hondaafushi and Hanimaadhoo in violation of ban

Maldives Police Service, on Wednesday, arrested an employee of Hondaafushi, an island resort located in H. Dh. Atoll, who travelled in and out of the resort in violation of the order of the Director General of Public Health to ban travel between resorts and residential islands as a measure against the spread of COVID-19.

The employee, identified by the police as a 22-year-old Maldivian male, had travelled to Hondaafushi from the residential island of H. Dh. Hanimaadhoo on Wednesday night.

He entered the resort without permission from the resort management.

He collected his belonging at the resort and returned back to Hanimaadhoo the same night.

He was arrested under court order from Hanimaadhoo.

Maldives has declared a state of public health emergency over the COVID-19 pandemic, granting the Director General of Public Health the authority to impose special measures to combat the virus.

One such measure is a ban on travel of persons between resorts and residential islands.

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.