Five officers of the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) have been contracted with the Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic in the country thus far.

Speaking during a press briefing on Monday afternoon, Colonel Hussain Ali revealed that officers linked to these five cases are being quarantined as per protocol.

However, Colonel Ali did not disclose numbers for confidentiality.

Noting that officers were aware of the risk they were exposing themselves to when joining the frontlines of battling the disease, Colonel Ali stated that the officers that are taken into quarantine facilities will rejoin the forces after completing the 14-day period.

MNDF leadership was fully prepared for this, said the colonel, who added that a force protection plan is ready alongside SOPs and standards.

Highlighting that they are following the guidelines set, the colonel revealed that safety measures are also being taken when working at the frontlines.

Further speaking at the press conference, Tourism Minister Ali Waheed noted that there are about 600 officers who have been separated from their families and continue to work in the frontlines.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) revealed that an MNDF officer turned positive to the disease on April 21, and that 41 individuals were identified as contacts of the patient.