Police: Kuredu failed to notify authorities of virus case!

Police have stated that the Kuredu Island Resort had not reported the case of the Italian tourist, who exhibited symptoms of Covid-19, to the relevant authorities.

The Italian tourist had tested positive for the virus after departing from the Maldives. Kuredu is the location of the first two cases of the virus in the Maldives and a further three had been confirmed from the island since then.

In a press conference today by police, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mohamed Riyaaz said that information from everyone related to the case was collected to understand how the case had unfolded.

Information was clarified from the Health Protection Agency, Kuredu Resort’s management and the clinic at the airport as part of this work, according to Riyaaz.

The inactions of those who had information about the tourist had led the tourist to depart from the country without being identified and had caused the spread of the virus in the Maldives through the people in contact with the tourist.

Police are conducting an investigation to see whether anyone involved in the case had failed to notify the authorities and implement safety measures before the individual had caused the virus to spread.

Riyaaz stated that the tourist had arrived in the country on February 23, and consulted with the resident doctor at the resort on the 26th. The doctor consulted the tourist, who had a medical history, to continue with the medication despite showing symptoms of fever.

He added that the tourist had later fainted in a restaurant of the resort and was treated at the clinic in the resort until the evening. The tourist was later changed to the room and food arrangements were also made. The tourist had not exhibited any symptoms of fever but had complained of a sore throat.

Riyaaz added that the tourist had declined to take any further tests to understand the symptoms whether it was an infection or symptoms of the Covid-19 virus.

“The doctor sent the tourist to the room, after providing medication since the tourist refused to medical tests, and since there were no available tests to be conducted at the time,” said Riyaaz.

The doctor did, however, discuss with the resort management and staff serving the tourist, regarding the symptoms noticed. Those involved knew that the tourist, who was from a country where the virus was spreading fast, was exhibiting symptoms of the virus and discussions to contact the HPA hotline was also held. This was, however, rejected since the management did not believe the tourist fell into the category to report for the virus.

“Due to the situation then, the fact that the tourist only had a fever, and since many other tourists were consulting with the doctor regarding fever, if that particular tourist had to be reported to HPA, then all the other tourists should also be reported, the management did not believe that the tourist fell into the criteria for reporting,” said Riyaaz.

The management’s decision caused concern from the doctor, which led to a review of the decision and the doctor later contacting HPA.

Kuredu did not report the tourist's case!

Police stated that the resort had not reported the suspected case of the virus to the authorities, despite the tourist exhibiting symptoms.

The three minutes and 24-second phone call by the doctor to the HPA, saw the doctor clarify whether any changes were brought to the criteria to report cases and the criteria for countries where suspected cases may originate from. This information was shared with the doctor by the HPA.

“The findings of the investigation currently show that the doctor, despite calling the HPA, had not notified the authorities of a suspected case, or of treating a suspected case in the resort,” said Riyaaz.

The tourist had once again consulted with the doctor on February 28, 29. The tourist was in good health these days and meals were still arranged in the room of the tourist, according to Police.

Tourist fainted twice at the airport!

The findings of the investigation also show that the tourist had fainted at the check-in counter at the airport on March 1, as the tourist was preparing to depart from the Maldives. The tourist was assisted by those nearby, before once again collapsing. The tourist was later boarded onto the place in a wheelchair.

Other tourists who had traveled with the tourist tested positive, then informed the flight captain of the medical issues faced by the tourist at the resort. The captain then cited complications that might be faced. and had refused to travel with the tourist on board.

After disembarking, the tourist was consulted at the clinic in the airport, where the doctor did not issue any further tests since the tourist was not exhibiting any symptoms of the virus at the time. Police stated that the doctor had faced difficulties in diagnosing since the tourist did not speak English.

The consultation was conducted after contacting an employee of the resort who had assisted the tourist before. The employee translated the conversation between the doctor and the tourist and the decisions made in the clinic were based on the conversation translated.

The doctor had believed that the medical issues were due to anxiety, according to Police.

The tourist was arranged accommodation at the Maagiri Hotel after being released from the clinic, by those in charge of arranging departures for the tourist. This had later led to a closure of the hotel and the isolation of 15 employees of the hotel as a precaution. The tourist had also visited the ticketing office of Emirates, which led to an employee of the office to be placed in isolation. The employee had later tested negative for the virus.

Five others were later tested positive for the virus from Kuredu, including the doctor who had treated the tourist.

Police stated that everyone who had assisted the tourist after the tourist collapsed at the airport was also identified and everyone who had assisted the tourist in any manner during the time spent in the capital was also identified.