Locations in Male’ cordoned off as HPA prepares for full-scale drill

Health Protection Agency (HPA), on Wednesday, announced that it will be holding a full-scale emergency exercise in multiple areas of the Maldivian capital, Male’ City, to ramp up national response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The exercise will take place from 12:30 to 3:30 this afternoon, during which time movement will be restricted in the locations.

“We urge the public to adhere to the instructions given through-out the exercise,” said HPA in a tweet.

The full-scale exercise comes after Male’ City Council, at a press conference held at the National Emergency Operations Center on Tuesday, said that the government was ramping up its responsiveness to deal with any change in the virus situation in Maldives, and that the Male’ City was prepared to go into a lockdown, if necessary.

13 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Maldives, all of whom are foreign nationals who were either working or vacationing in resorts or safaris. Of the 13 people, five were from Kuredu Island Resort, two from Sandies Bathala, two from Kuramathi Island Resort, two from Anantara Dhigu, and two from Island Safari-1.

Five have since recovered, but continue to be closely monitored in isolation facilities.

Maldivian health authorities have warned the recoveries of the five patients, and the success in containing the virus so far did not make the risk the virus posed to the general population any less.

People have been urged to remain vigilant and stay at home.