The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has urged those who have travelled to inhabited islands from Malé, resorts and safari boats to reach out to the authority immediately if they develop Covid-19-like symptoms.

HPA made the appeal via an announcement on Thursday night which also imposed measures in all outlying islands across the Maldives, excluding the capital city.

Following the permit issued to resort workers to evacuate resorts after a certain period of time since the last tourist on the resort departed, several resort workers have now returned to other islands. Further, several residents of the Greater Malé Region have also travelled to outlying islands following the government’s declaration of public holidays from 19 March onward, due to the Covid-19 crisis in the country.

The authority has urged these individuals to reach out to them if they develop even the slightest symptom similar to the fatal infection, without delay.

HPA is conducting extensive contact tracing after a Malé City resident tested positive for Covid-19 with zero contact with other positive patients, and no travel history. Since then, a total of five individuals have tested positive to the disease in the capital city, following which a lockdown has been declared across the entire country.