Covid-19: 2 direct contacts of footballer Fellaini suspected of infection, placed under isolation

Two Maldivians with Covid-19 like symptoms are to be placed under isolation after coming into contact with former Manchester United player Marouane Fellaini, who tested positive for coronavirus following his vacation in the island nation.

While the Health Protection Agency (HPA) - via Twitter - has announced that samples are being taken from two Maldivian nationals who were in direct contact with a confirmed case of Covid-19, spokesperson for the governments Covid-19 task force Mohamed Mabrook Aziz has since confirmed that they were direct contacts of Marouane Fellaini.

They will be placed under isolation at Alif Alif atoll, Velidhoo Isolation Facility, said HPA.

Mabrook made the reveal while speaking at a press conference held by the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) on Sunday night.

Speaking at the press conference, Mabrook appealed for all those who had been in contact with the footballer during his vacation to notify 1676 immediately. Highlighting that Fellaini traveled to the airport, Mabrook noted that close contacts of the footballer would be in the Greater Male' area.

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

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

The Maldives has reported a total of 13 confirmed cases thus far and three have since recovered.