Maldives bans travel between resorts and residential islands

The Director General of Public Health, on Saturday, issued an order to ban the travel of any persons to or from a resort to any residential island.

The order was issued under Section 34 (b) of the Public Health Act, which empowers the Director General of Public Health to take additional measures to ascertain public health during a state of public health emergency.

The travel ban will come into effect at 18:00 hours this Saturday, and will remain in effect for the next 14 days.

Maldives had declared a 30-day state of public health emergency over the COVID-19 pandemic on Thursday, March 12.

Additional restrictions which have been ordered includes the suspension of check-ins of international tourists to guesthouses and city hotels in Male’ City, Hulhumale’, and Vilimale’, effective for 14 days starting from 00:00 hours on Sunday; and the closure of all universities, colleges and training institutes, also for 14 days. 

Ten people have tested positive for the deadly virus in Maldives, all of whom are foreign nationals who either worked at, or were vacationing at resorts. Five were from Kuredu, two from Sandies Bathala, two from Kuramathi, and one from Anantara Dhigu Rah.