The Minister of Health has extended the duration of the State of Public Health Emergency declared in the Maldives.

The emergency state was invoked by Health Minister Abdulla Ameen on March 12 for a period of 30 days by the discretionary powers vested in the minister by Section 33 of the 7/2012 Public Health Act. The measure was taken after the World Health Organization (WHO) classified the current COVID-19 outbreak as a global 'pandemic'.

Since then, the state of public health emergency has been extended five times, most recently on June 30 for a period of two weeks. While the duration expired on July 14, the Health Ministry announced that the public health emergency state will be maintained until at least August 7, effective from July 14.

Maldives has recorded 2,801 confirmed cases of COVID-19 thus far, and 14 COVID-19 deaths. The number of active cases is 470. The Maldives border, which was closed to tourists on March 27 will reopen later on Tuesday.

https://avas.mv/en/85818