Covid-19: authorities identify 9 close contacts of Maldivian who returned from Spain

Authorities have identified nine close contacts of the passenger that returned on a Qatar Airways flight from Spain after transiting elsewhere.

Announcing that the contact tracing process has been completed, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) took to Twitter late Sunday, writing that the Maldivian passenger has been taken into isolation at the facility in Farukolhufushi following Covid-19 like symptoms.

Qatar Airways flight QR674 in which the individual traveled in was placed under monitoring after landing at Velana International Airport on Sunday evening.

Authorities have since urged the nine foreigners who had been identified as close contacts, to isolate themselves at home. They were sent to the destinations where their bookings have been made, “after contact tracing” was completed for the Maldivian who returned from Spain.

The nine foreigners are to isolate themselves for a period of 14 days.

In addition, two crew members on-board flight QR674 have also been quarantined at the facility in Vilivaru island.

While the individual is to have transited elsewhere after departing Spain, where Maldives has imposed a temporary travel restriction, Mabrook said that individual had not completed the 14-day period between departure from Spain and arrival in the Maldives.

The flight remained under monitoring as authorities conducted contact tracing, and 11 others were placed under home-isolation.

Maldives has now confirmed 13 positive Covid-19 cases, all foreigners, with the last five confirmed within 48 hours.