Govt. to make its decision on extending state of public health emergency today

National Emergency Operations Center has announced a decision regarding whether or not to extend the state of public health emergency for another 30 days will be made this Thursday.

Health Minister Abdulla Ameen had declared a state of public health emergency over the COVID-19 pandemic on March 12. The 30-day period will expire on Friday, April 10.

At a National Emergency Operations Center press briefing on Wednesday night, spokesperson Mabrouq Azeez said the government would make a decision regarding extending the state of public health emergency on Thursday, and announce the decision at the briefing scheduled for later that night.

The Public Health Act grants the Health Minister the authority to declare a state of public health emergency either nationwide, or in select areas, if the Director General of Public Health, based on evidence, establishes there to a public health emergency in Maldives, and finds that it warrants special measures to solve or contain it, and counsels the Health Minister as such.

It had marked the first time for a state of public health emergency to be declared in Maldives, since the law’s enactment, in 2012.