Two more being monitored for coronavirus symptoms

Two additional individuals are being monitored for coronavirus symptoms.

Health Minister Abdulla Ameen revealed this at an emergency press conference held late Friday night, where he added that there have not been any new cases “in the past 24 hours.”

While the first suspected case was identified on Thursday, Ameen on Friday said that two additional individuals “are being monitored.”

On Thursday, the minister revealed that a 20-year-old Maldivian male is suspected to have the infection and that he has been quarantined in Funadhoo island where an emergency zone has been established. This individual is to have returned from China on Wednesday night.

While the Novel Coronavirus was first detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province of China in December 2019, there has been public concern over the possible outbreak in the Maldives due to tourist arrivals from the southeastern nation. Over 260,000 tourists arrived from China in 2019.

Authorities have since temporarily halted all direct flights from China, and are working to bring the Maldivian citizens living there that wish to return. These individuals are to be taken elsewhere first, where they will be quarantined before returning to the country.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has formed a special task force to address the issue.

Thermal screening scanners have been placed at Velana International Airport and Addu International Airport, and authorities are working to obtain the required equipment for other point of entries.

According to the National Health Commission in Beijing, 11,791 cases have been confirmed in China’s 31 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions as of Friday. New deaths have brought the nationwide toll to 259.