While former Manchester United player Marouane Fellaini tested positive for coronavirus after returning from Maldives, authorities said that necessary procedures are being carried out given the chance that he might have been infected during his stay in the island nation.

The government’s Covid-19 spokesperson, Mohamed Mabrook Azizi revealed this during a press conference held shortly after Fellaini’s team confirmed has been diagnosed with Covid-19; Fellaini currently plays for Chinese Super League club, Shandong Luneng, and was diagnosed after returning to the southeastern nation.

While the athlete arrived in the country on March 8 and left four days later, Mabrook revealed that he had stayed in One&Only Reethi Rah.

Fellaini tested positive for Covid-19 on March 20, and Mabrook highlighted the 14-day period – the median time from exposure to onset of symptoms- and said that Fellaini would have contracted the virus earliest by March 6. Hence, they believe that he was infected after leaving the Maldives.

However, Mabrook stressed that they are taking the necessary precautions and that contact tracing is being conducted at the resort. He added that "a close contact" has already been placed under isolation.

One&Only Reethi Rah was placed under monitoring on March 11 after a suspected Covid-19 case. However, measures were lifted after the individual's test results came back.

Maldives has reported 13 positive Covid-19 cases since March 7, all foreigners, and three have since recovered. There have been no deaths so far.