An employee at the tourism ministry has tested positive for Covid-19.

While an official at the ministry has confirmed this RaajjeMV, he added that 12 of this employee’s contacts have been placed under isolation.

The official further revealed that the employee that tested positive for the virus works in the ministry’s development section. The staff member was tested for Covid-19 following symptoms, and results are to have come back positive on Thursday.

The employee is now under quarantine, in Bandos Island Resort.

Further noting that 12 of the contacts are now under isolation, the official said that ministry was opened for business on Sunday after disinfection.

While Maldives’ first Covid-19 cases were confirmed from a resort in March, the greater Malé region was placed under lockdown on April 15 following the detection of a community spread.

Authorities began lockdown easing on May 29, and the country entered the phase three of the ease plan on July 1. Since then, there has been a surge in Covid-19, with health officials saying that most of the cases are being reported from government offices.

While government offices had been closed since March 9 following the Covid-19 pandemic, they were reopened in phase three of the lockdown easing, on July 5. Prior to that, the offices were opened partially, to complete essential tasks.