Practices for the dance recitals to be held before Saudi King Salman on Saturday, which RaajjeMV’s crew was kept from filming, were held without ministry approval.

The Health Ministry, under advisement from the Health Protection Agency, had ordered that all grade schools, colleges, and universities be closed to deter the ongoing spread of H1N1.

Officials from the Health Ministry told RaajjeMV on Thursday that it had no knowledge of ongoing practices.

RaajjeMV’s attempts to acquire a comment from the Education Ministry has been unsuccessful. Neither the media officials nor the ministry’s Permanent Secretary had responded to calls at the time of publishing.

Sports associations have also postponed all scheduled events.

The disease has been spreading rapidly across the nation, with HPA saying that it was most prevalent in and around capital city Malé.

Citizens have been advised to exercise extreme caution and stay away from crowded areas.

Students from grade six and seven had been assembled on Monday to carry out practices for the king’s welcome recitals.

An official at the school’s hall had thwarted RaajjeMV’s attempt to report the practice, by placing his hand on the camera’s lens and escorting the crew out of the premises.

Practices are reportedly held for two hours every night, with hundreds of students.