The Health Emergency Operations Center (HEOC) has revealed that action was taken on a total of 246 business establishments by the end of the mass public health inspection.

This was revealed by the center’s spokesperson, Dr. Nazla Rafeeq during Saturday night’s press briefing.

As such, she revealed that a total of 1,546 business establishments in the Greater Malé Region including Malé, Hulhumalé, Villimalé and Thilafushi were inspected through the mass public health inspection.

246 business establishments were temporarily shut down for being violation of the Health Protection Agency (HPA)’s safety measures against the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

The spokesperson revealed that 50 percent of the inspected locations had to be closed down for breaching the safety guidelines, within the first two days alone.

However, in the next few days the amount decreased, said Dr. Nazla who highlighted that although this round of the inspection has come to an end, the follow-up inspection is expected.

The region-wide mass public health inspection programme was provoked by a hike in Covid-19 cases since the authorities began easing the lockdown imposed across the region on April 15, following the detection of a community spread.

The programme was launched on July 29 and is the second one to have been launched within a month.

On the last day of the inspection, a total of 136 locations were inspected out of which included 37 food outlets, 11 salons and 88 shops. Out of this, nine establishments were shut down temporarily which included a foot outlet, three salons and five shops.

Approval to reopen has since been granted to 16 establishments.

The mass public health inspection revolved around ensuring adherence to Covid-19 safety guidelines at cafés, restaurants, gyms and fitness centers, salons as well as markets which were opened for services after the initiation of the third phase of the lockdown ease plan on July 1.

Guidelines to be followed by each of the establishments after having granted approval to reopen them, were publicized in the government gazette, some of which include providing sanitizers, enforcing the use of face masks as well as ensuring social distancing measures are in place.

The inspection work was carried out in collaboration with the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF), Malé City council, Ministry of Economic Development, Maldives Police Service (MPS), Maldivian Red Crescent (MRC), Housing Development Corporation and Waste Management Corporation (WAMCO).