Covid-19: Civil Court issues orders to collect samples from two symptomatic individuals

The Civil Court has issued orders on the Maldives Police Service (MPS) as well as relevant authorities to collect samples from two individuals suspected of having contracted the Covid-19 virus.

The court revealed that two individuals has refused to provide samples for Covid-19 testing upon being instructed to do so by the relevant authorities, following which the court had issued two orders on the relevant authorities to enforce the orders of the Director General of Public Health, on Wednesday night.

Due to confidentiality, these court orders are not publicized.

Refusing to provide samples for Covid-19 testing, as well as to be taken into quarantine is described as a violation of the Public Health Act of the country and courts are mandated to release orders to do the needful in such cases. The act also mandates all individuals to share accurate information during a State of Public Health Emergency, which was declared across Maldives on March 12.

This comes at a time the Civil Court has been issuing similar orders for those who refuse to be taken into quarantine. Further, the court has been ordering authorities to quarantine individuals who refuse to be taken into quarantine as well.

The government imposed a lockdown across the Greater Malé Region on April 15, following the discovery of a Covid-19 community transmission. However, the authorities began implementing the lockdown ease plan on May 29, in phases and the country is currently in phase two, where a number of restrictions are still in place.

Thus far, there have been 2,260 confirmed cases in the Maldives which has seen eight Covid-19 related deaths.

1,839 individuals have recovered from the virus in the island nation, plunging the active case count to 409.