Health Protection Agency HPA orders the quarantine of all expatriate workers in the Male’ area at risk of contracting Covid-19 with the virus spreading rapidly in the foreign workers' community in the capital.
In an order signed by the Director-General of Public Health Maimoona Abubakar HPA said, Covid-19 was spreading in Male’ at an alarming pace, especially among the expatriates working in the City. HPA said that it has decided to take precautionary measures to prevent further spread of the virus among the most vulnerable community.
HPA said if those expatriates in Male’, Villimale, and hulhumale with no designated employment or accommodation are left unmonitored; the virus may infect a great number of these workers.
HPA added that for that reason the agency would quarantine such workers in a location assigned by the National Emergency Operations Center NEOC.
The Agency also highlighted that a number of foreign workers living in housing quarters currently under police monitoring have tested positive for the virus. HPA said all the workers living in such addresses would now be moved to a quarantine facility assigned by the NEOC.
In addition, HPA said all the foreign workers who have had direct contact with previously positive cases are currently at the risk of contracting the virus and that all such individuals would also be quarantined.
The Agency added that all expatriate workers outside of these categories who are also at risk for the virus would be quarantined.
Maldives had reported 491 cases of Covid-19 with 334 of those cases identified as foreigners.
