Task force formed to monitor coronavirus risk, to issue travel advisory "if required"

Maldives will issue a travel advisory, “if required”, says Tourism Minister Ali Waheed.

Waheed made the comment at a press conference held at the president’s office, together with Health Minister Abdulla Ameen, on Tuesday night. The conference was held to provide details of the preventive measures put in place against the Novel Coronavirus, a highly infectious bronchitis virus which is to have emerged in a province in China.

While a number of tourists travel to Maldives from China, this has left the public tense with some calling to halt flights from the southeastern nation. Over 260,000 tourists arrived from China in 2019.

Responding to the criticism, Minister Waheed assured that the government has no intention of hiding any facts about the disease, adding that it is prepared for the chance that it is found in the country.

Noting that this government prioritizes the people, he said that “a travel advisory will be issued, if required.”

However, Waheed said that there is no purpose of issuing one yet and called to the public to take all preventative measures.

He further said that this work will be done under President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s direction, who discussed the issue with the cabinet ministers earlier on Tuesday. The president formed a special task force following the news of the outbreak, which is actively involved in their duties and coordinating with all other relevant stakeholders.

The tourism minister also highlighted this task force at the press conference, adding that it was formed with the interests of those in the tourism ministry. He highlighted that over 2,000 bookings have been cancelled following the virus outbreak, adding that these are mostly Chinese tourists.

Speaking at the press conference the health minister stressed the rapid outbreak of the disease, and noted that Maldives is yet to see a suspected case of the infectious virus.

Minister Ameen said the health infrastructure has been prepared "to co-ordinate a response to the possible detection of the disease," and added that thermal cameras have been deployed at airport entry points across the country and that frontline staff have been prepared to address any issue that may arise.

Furthermore, Ameen said that they have taken measures to designate quarantine and treatment facilities and that additional facilities have been established in Funadhoo Island.

He also assured that the administration will "keep the public informed with the latest updates at all times".