United Nation Human Rights Chief Michelle Bachelet stated that Maldives was included in the list of countries noted for the provision of COVID-19 related healthcare without discrimination based on nationality. She made the statement during a virtual meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)'s Geneva Chapter held on June 10.

Speaking during the meeting, Permanent Representative of Maldives to the UN Office in Geneva Dr Hala Hameed reiterated that Maldives would offer full cooperation to efforts led by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to preserve human rights.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid had previously guaranteed that foreign nationals in Maldives would not face any discrimination while acquiring treatment for COVID-19.

Overall, 65 percent of Maldives' reported virus cases include foreigners with Bangladeshi nationals constituting the single largest group at 52.82 percent. Maldivians account for 34.95 percent of COVID-19 infections.

Maldives presently records a total of 2,003 confirmed cases, out of which 800 are active cases of COVID-19. The country records 1,193 recoveries and eight deaths.

WHO has classified the spread of COVID-19 as a global pandemic. The new strain of novel coronavirus has infected over 7.7 million people and claimed over 428,200 lives around the world. However, out of those infected, 3.9 million people have recovered.

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