The government is currently in discussions regarding the additional measures required to be implemented amid fears of the new strain of Covid-19, says the Health Emergency Operations Center (HEOC).

Highlighting that a risk assessment is underway for the likelihood of the new variant of Covid-19 surfacing in Maldives, HEOC’s Spokesperson, Dr. Nazla Rafeeq revealed that the new strain of the pandemic has already emerged in several countries, noting that the risk of the virus is present in countries where Covid-19 cases are snowballing.

Nazla highlighted that the country earlier sent a batch of samples for sequence formation and that the tests results were negative to the new strain.

Authorities are currently in discussions to send additional samples batches, Nazla said, adding that additional measures are also being discussed.

The doctor stressed on the importance of strict adherence to the current measures in place, in order to reduce the risk of the new strain reaching the island nation, where 13,558 Covid-19 cases have been confirmed since the first few cases were discovered on March 7.

Authorities will be considering the archipelago nation’s formation as well as the results of the current measures in place, when implementing additional measures.

Nazla noted that the best thing to do would be proceeding steadily in accordance with the current situation, instead of implementing more measures in a haste.

The HEOC spokesperson highlighted that the international community accepts and applauds Maldives for the swift measures and guidelines introduced when reopening borders for international travel and stated that all but one resort is free from Covid-19 outbreaks since July 15.

The new Covid-19 variant spreading in the UK, which remains the top third market source for Maldives tourism industry, is believed to be 70 percent more transmissible. New strains of the pandemic have also been confirmed in South Africa and Nigeria, to which many countries are responding by placing travel restrictions.