Tourist in Maafushi tests positive for COVID-19

A tourist vacationing at a guesthouse in K. Maafushi has tested positive for COVID-19.

Maafushi Council’s vice president Nasheeda Adam confirmed the case to Sun on Wednesday afternoon. She said that the tourist was staying at a guesthouse in Maafushi with the person’s spouse, but declined to disclose the nationality of the tourist.

Nasheeda said that the couple has been moved to an isolation room at the guesthouse.

The Tourism Ministry began authorizing the reopening of guesthouses in residential islands after a seven-month closure on October 15.

The guesthouses, as well as the islands where they are situated, are required to fulfill specific requirements before they can be authorized to reopen.

As such, guesthouses are required to have a COVID-19 safe plan in place before they can be authorized to reopen. Once a guesthouse shares the plan with the Tourism Ministry, the Tourism Ministry will review the plan and grant permission after the local council of the island where the guesthouse is located visits the property to ensure that arrangements have been made in accordance with the plan, and that all health and safety requirements have been met.

Each guesthouse is required to establish a focal point, and to have rooms designated for quarantine and isolation.

Meanwhile, both tourists and local residents are required to wear masks when in public.

Tourists are required to produce proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken maximum 96 hours before departure from their original destination for entry into Maldives.

The country has 11,567 confirmed cases. 10,652 patients have since recovered, while 37 have died from complications. Active cases currently stand at 871.