State Trading Organization (STO) has refuted claims that the company is facing a shortage in surgical face masks.
Managing Director Hussain Amru revealed that they have an adequate stock of surgical masks and that they are not running low on them, after reports began circulating that the company is low on face masks and has limited the quantity they sell.
The public has been expressing concern over STO limiting their purchase quantity to just three masks per person from Thursday.
Speaking to RaajjeMV, Amru revealed that their limitation comes as large-scale businesses have observably been purchasing masks in bulk and then selling them at unreasonable prices.
They have been buying masks from us at a rate of MVR 2.50 per mask and then selling them for MVR 9”Amru
Amru assured the public that the company has adequate stocks for the current situation, going on to urge the public to refrain from spreading false information at such a critical time.
With the emergence of a deadly bronchitis virus, coronavirus coming out of Wuhan City, Hubei Province of China, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) has urged the public to use masks as a safety measure as it lowers the risk of diseases catching the air.
Since then, authorities have placed thermal screening scanners at Velana International Airport and Addu International Airport and are also working to get the required equipment for other entry points.
A suspected case of coronavirus was reportedly found in the Maldives late Thursday and the 20-year-old has been isolated at the quarantine zone in Funadhoo island.
