Man arrested for impeding work of COVID-19 taskforce

A man has been arrested in the island of A. Dh. Omadhoo for failing to adhere to the instructions and orders of authorities put in place to restrict the spread of COVID-19.

Police stated that a 28-year old local man from the island was arrested tonight at around 21:15. The individual had traveled from the island and had failed to adhere to the written and verbal warnings of the taskforce, read a statement by Police. 

The individual was apprehended under a court order. Police stated that the man had impeded the work of the council and the island's task force.

Maldives is in a state of lockdown after a community case of COVID-19 was identified in the capital Male' on April 15. The Director-General of Public Health had ordered a ban on travel between islands as part of measures to curb the spread of the virus. Previous arrests regarding the violation of the orders have been made by Police.

The Maldives has so far confirmed 904 cases of the virus, with the majority coming from the capital.