Covid-19: Island Safari on which 2 positive cases emerged, docked at Fuvahmulah City last week

Island Safari 1 on which two Covid-19-stricken patients are travelling, docked at Fuvahmulah City harbor last week.

Secretariat of the Fuvahmulah City Council revealed this via a statement on Sunday, stating that the safari had docked at the island harbor in the morning of 11 March, and departed on 12 March.

The statement goes on to assure the public that none of the tourists on-board the safari entered the island, however, the boat’s crew members did enter the island.

Island Safari 1 is to have docked in Fuvahmulah City once again on 14 March, however, none of those on-board had entered the island, however, a team of health experts from the city hospital did board the vessel.

Island Safari is to be quarantined.

Speaking to press on Sunday night, Mabrook Aziz, spokesperson for the Covid-19 task-force, stated that the vessel is currently traveling to Laamu atoll.

From there, the two positive patients will be evacuated from the safari and quarantined at a facility in the atoll, after which the safari will head to capital city Malé.

Mabrook further revealed that everyone on-board the vessel will be isolated and authorities are currently working on contact tracing.

In addition, it was revealed that although the safari reached Villingili island in Gaaf Alif atoll for fuel, none of the crew members entered the island.

However, officers of the Maldives Police Service (MPS) did go on-board to provide food for the travelers on-board.

When questioned whether the crew members on-board the safari entered Fuvahmulah City, Mabrook stated that updates will be shared as soon as contact tracing is complete.

Also on Sunday, the Covid-19 spokesperson revealed that authorities are to begin work on phase two of Vilivaru island on Monday, and that 80 rooms have been allocated for isolation in Velidhu Island Resort.

Hulhulé Island Resort has been arranged as a “Tourist Support Facility” and will be opened for services, since the travel restrictions were imposed by the government, said Mabrook.

The Maldives Water and Sewerage Company (MWSC) has revealed that they have placed hand sanitizers on all of their transport means including buses and ferries.

Another update shared by the authorities includes that the Education Ministry is seeking from public schools to identify homes without access to a television or internet, following which the required arrangements will be made.

As of Sunday, there are 13 positive cases in the country including five from Kuredu Island Resort and two each from Sandies Bathala Resort, Kuramathi Island Resort, Anantara Dhigu and Island Safari.

There are 11 individuals isolated at the facility in Farukolhufushi, which has a capacity of 50 persons.

Further, there are 18 currently quarantined at Vilivaru, which has a capacity for 30.

As before, the number of individuals receiving treatment at the 11th floor of Dharumavantha Hospital remains at two, with two additional patients, an elderly couple, being admitted at the 16th floor for treatment. However, samples of the latter case are negative.