JA Manafaru Maldives Resort is under a Health Protection Agency imposed temporary lockdown following a suspected COVID-19 case involving a Maldivian, the Edition reports.
The resort was placed under monitoring on Wednesday following a Maldivian national reportedly exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms. The person is currently under home isolation, the agency reports.
JA Manafaru will be in temporary lockdown until the HPA receives results of the suspected case.
The Maldives is yet to block all incoming travel from other countries and resort employees face a high risk of contracting COVID-19.
However, the Maldives will no longer welcome tourists from March 27 onwards, the Maldives president stated at a press conference. And resorts will be in temporary lockdown for 14 days after the departure of the last guest from the resort. Staff will be allowed to leave after the 14-day period if there are no cases of Covid-19 on the island.
The president urged the hospitality industry not to lay off staff and said the government was coming up with a way to subsidise and provide allowances to those affected to mitigate the economic impact.
The Maldives has 13 confirmed cases of Covid-19 to date with eight recoveries and five active cases.