830 that requested to return to residential islands placed quarantined

The government has announced that 830 individuals who wished to return to their residential islands after being stranded in Male’ City amidst the lockdown have been placed in quarantine.

The government has previously stated that 5000 applications were received by individuals wishing to return to their islands. The government has now decided to only allow those in situations of necessity to return to their islands after completing a 14 days quarantine period in a government-designated facility.

Home Minister Imran Abdulla announced that 830 were placed in quarantine for the purpose. He also added that 1800 people would be quarantined by May 24 for the same purpose.

The Local Government Authority had formulated a master list of such individuals in collaboration with other state institutions such as the Gender Ministry. Currently, the capacity is to quarantine 500 individuals after allocating a specific number of returnees for each atoll, LGA had stated.

Three resorts to quarantine such returnees were designated. They are Hondaafushi, Filitheyo and Medhufushi, said Minister of Tourism Ali Waheed.

Efforts to quarantine such returnees in their residential islands were halted as it was not the safest option since authorities were bracing for a surge in cases in the capital by the end of this month.