Govt. imposes ban on non-essential travel from Male’ to other islands

Health Emergency Operations Center (HEOC) has announced a temporary ban on travel of persons from the greater Male’ region to other residential island, unless it is for essential purposes.

In a press conference on Tuesday evening, Health Ministry’s Deputy Director-General, Policy Planning and International Health, Aishath Samiya said that starting this Tuesday, only those with compelling reasons will be allowed to travel out of Male’ to other residential islands.

The travel restriction comes amid a surge in coronavirus cases with the relaxation of the lockdown in the greater Male’ region – the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in Maldives – in July.

HEOC spokesperson and epidemiologist Dr. Nazla Rafeeq said that preventing the spread of the coronavirus outbreak to residential islands in the atolls and protecting the public health of people in the atolls is a top priority.

The government had imposed a lockdown in the greater Male’ region following identification of the first coronavirus case in Male’ City on April 15, but later began facilitating the return of residents of other islands who had travelled to Male’ to access essential services, but were stranded due to the lockdown. They were allowed to return after 14 days of quarantine and tests at designated facilities at state expense. And with the relaxation of the lockdown in July, government released guidelines to allow travel from Male’ to residential islands under the condition they practice 14 days of home quarantine and get tested.

Health Minister Abdulla Ameen has stated that the government received requests for permission to travel to residential islands for the recent Eid al-Adha holidays from some 9,000 people. He appealed for people not to abuse the opportunity, and to act responsibly to ensure the outbreak doesn’t spread into the atolls.

Maldives now has 4,293 confirmed coronavirus cases, including 129 new cases recorded on Monday. 2,670 patients have since recovered, while 19 have died from complications.

In face of the current surge in coronavirus cases, the government has announced a two-week closure of schools and a 10:00 pm to 05:00 am curfew in the greater Male’ region.

Meanwhile, the government has also made it mandatory for everyone in residential islands with confirmed coronavirus cases to wear masks in public, and has recommended that people in residential islands, including those where cases have not been identified, to wear masks when out in public.