The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has announced that another Maldivian has tested positive for Covid-19.

This brings the total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in the country up to 19. The individual is the fourth Maldivian to test positive for the disease.

Patient 19 is currently located at Velidhoo Isolation Facility and had returned from the United Kingdom.

The previous three Maldivians confirmed for Covid-19 infection had arrived from the UK as well. They had tested positive while under quarantine; All arrivals into the Maldives have been subjected to a 14-day quarantine period as of March 22nd.

With this development, the technical advisory group of the government’s Covid-19 taskforce determined to conduct Covid-19 testing on all arrivals from the UK between 14 – 19 March. A total of 50 people had arrived during the aforementioned time period and contact tracing is underway for all of them to avoid community spread. All quarantined individuals will also be tested for Covid-19 prior to release.

Maldives placed travel restrictions, banning entry of all arrivals from UK into Maldives on 19th March.