Male: The National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) has warned against traveling to capital Male amid the current COVID-19 outbreak.

Speaking at NEOC's daily press briefing, Spokesperson Mabrook Azeez said experts expect a surge in positive COVID-19 cases in Male over the next two weeks. Therefore, precautions must be exercised and wise steps must be taken in the upcoming days, warned Mabrook. The NEOC recommends against traveling to Male during the period, added Mabrook.

"We have projections based on similar models used across the world to estimate how the virus will progress. Our projections are modeled and based on figures relevant to the Maldives," said Mabrook.

Mabrook added that the government is working to repatriate as many Maldivians as possible from foreign countries, but the efforts may come to a halt during the peak duration.

574 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the Maldives thus far. The first case of local transmission was identified in capital Male' on April 15, and the number of positive cases have been increasing rapidly since then. 759 people are currently housed at quarantine facilities, and 58 people are in isolation. Two deaths linked to COVID-19 have been confirmed in the Maldives.

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