In wake of reduced numbers of fresh COVID-19 infections in the country, the Health Emergency Operations Centre (HEOC) in the Maldives eased the quarantine norms for Maldivian citizens coming from abroad, Sun news reported. 

Maldivians, coming to Greater Male city from abroad, now no longer need to quarantine themselves if they carry a negative RT-PCR test report conducted within 96 hours of their arrival. Dr. Nazla Rageeq, in a press conference on Wednesday, said that it is hard to quarantine people every time, on their arrival, especially when the majority of them go abroad for their medical treatment.

She also clarified that if, in case, the infection rate increases in the future, authorities may again put mandatory quarantine in place. However, for the people who travel to other atolls, the policy of mandatory quarantine still applies to them.

“There is a community spread in Male’ City currently, compared to this, in other atolls, the virus is non-existent. Male’ city is still of high risk based on the lack of tourist activity. From the beginning of our work, the most important priority is to stop the spread of the virus to other islands in other atolls,” Dr Nazla was quoted as saying by Sun.