State of public health emergency extended to May 30

Health Minister Abdulla Ameen, on Thursday, ordered an additional extension to the state of public health emergency which has been declared in Maldives over the COVID-19 pandemic.

Maldives identified its first virus case on March 7, and on March 12; declared a 30-day state of public health emergency over the COVID-19 pandemic, and on April 10, extended the order to the end of April.

Ameen has now extended it for a second time, declaring that the state of public health emergency will remain in effect until end of May 30.

He said that the Director General of Public Health had advised him that the threat of a severe nationwide outbreak remained prevalent, and that Maldives needed to implement special measures to mitigate the threat and ascertain the health and safety of the people.

“I, under the powers vested in me under the aforementioned [Public Health] Act, hereby announce the decision to extend the state of public health emergency which has been declared nationwide from March 12, 2020 to May 30, 2020,” said Ameen.  

While virus cases had been restricted to resorts and safaris when Maldives had initially declared a state of public emergency, health authorities have since announced a community spread within the capital, Male’ City. Virus cases have also been confirmed in several residents outside of the capital.

Virus cases nationwide has risen to 396, and Maldives marked the first virus-related death on Wednesday; an 83-year-old woman from Male’ who was awaiting test results in self-isolation following direct contact with a positive case. Her test results came back positive after her death.