2 Maldivians placed under quarantine upon return from China

Two Maldivian citizens have been placed under quarantine upon return from China – the epicenter of the deadly COVID-19 outbreak which has been declared a global health emergency.

A spokesperson from Health Ministry confirmed the two were placed under quarantine on Tuesday.

They show no symptoms of the deadly virus, but were placed under quarantine in accordance with the current protocol in practice in Maldives, which states that while Maldivian citizens arriving from China will be allowed to enter Maldives, they must undergo a 14-day quarantine period before they can be allowed to mingle with the general population.

The spokesperson took the opportunity to provide assurance Health Ministry would inform the public on all relevant timely developments regarding the virus, including identification of persons who meet the criteria for the illness.

No one from Maldives has yet to test positive for the virus, and testing facilities for the virus have now been established at Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH), eliminating the need for samples to be sent abroad.

The virus has now infected more than 80,000 globally, and has caused over 2,700 deaths.