2 tourists in Summer Island suspected of COVID-19, resort on lockdown

Health Protection Agency (HPA), on Saturday, said that two French nationals on holiday at the Summer Island Resort were being transported to the quarantine facility in Farukolhufushi after they developed symptoms of the deadly COVID-19 virus.

They are being transferred to the quarantine facility in Farukolhufushi where they will undergo further monitoring and testing.

HPA has also imposed temporary restrictive measures – cutting of all transport in and out of the resort – as a precautionary measure to contain a possible outbreak. The restriction is expected to be in place until HPA tests the two tourists.

The agency has also begun contact tracing.

The global COVID-19 outbreak has now spread to 90 countries. It has infected over 100,000 people and caused the death of over 3,400 people.

In France, the virus has infected over 600 people and killed nine.

Summer Island Maldives becomes the second Maldivian resort to undergo a lockdown over virus fears.

It comes less than 24 hours after Kuredu Island Resort and Spa, a resort located in Lh. Atoll, was locked down after an Italian tourist who vacationed at the resort tested positive for COVID-19 upon return to his home country. The doctor who treated him during his stay at the resort has developed COVID-19 symptoms, and has been transported to the quarantine facility in Farukolhufushi for further monitoring and testing.

Meanwhile, V. Thinadhoo, a local island popular for its local tourism business, was also placed on lockdown on Friday after another Italian tourist developed COVID-19 symptoms and was transported to Farukolhufushi for further monitoring and testing.

HPA says it had begun immediate contact tracing in all cases, and that the islands will remain on lockdown until it received the test results in the suspected cases.

No positive cases have yet to be confirmed in Maldives, and the health alert status remains “white”.