75 returnees from UK test negative for COVID-19

The National Emergency Operations Center, on Wednesday, announced that over 75 people who travelled back to Maldives from the UK between March 14 to March 19 have tested negative for COVID-19.

Health Protection Agency (HPA) had made the decision to test the people who travelled back from the UK between March 14 to March 19, along with the people they had contact with, as a precautionary measure after four Maldivian nationals who returned to Maldives from the UK in late March tested positive for the virus.

At the National Emergency Operations Center briefing on Wednesday night, spokesperson Mabrouq Azeez announced that over 75 returnees from the UK have been tested for the virus, all of whom had tested negative.

The Director General of Health, Maimoona Aboobakuru had issued an order for all air passengers to Maldives, with the exception of tourists with resort bookings, to be placed under 14-day quarantine at designated government facilities on March 21.

All travelers in quarantine undergo testing for the virus before they are released from the facilities.

The UK has exceeded 7,000 in virus deaths.

The Maldives has four active virus cases, all of whom are Maldivian nationals who travelled back from the UK. The second and third Maldivian nationals to test positive are from the same family, who had returned to Maldives on the same flight, and had shared a room at Royal Island Resort where they were quarantined.

Total 19 people tested positive for the virus in Maldives, including two Italian nationals who had departed from Maldives before they were identified as virus patients.

13 of them, all foreign nationals either vacationing or working in resorts or safaris, have since recovered.