Four Maldives resorts put on lockdown
Travellers are being advised to steer clear of four island resorts in the Maldives due to confirmed cases of the coronavirus.
Kuredu, Vilemendhu, Batalaa and Kuramathi Island Resorts have been paced under temporary quarantine and the UK issued an advisory to avoid the resorts.
Four employees at Kuredu Island Resort have tested positive for coronavirus.
The resort was locked down on Friday after the first two positive tests..
"The temporary restrictive measures will continue until such time that the authorities release the island from its quarantine period," a statement posted on Kuredu Island’s website said.
"At this time there will be no flight in or out of the island. The island is well stocked with the essentials, and we are confident in the care that will be provided to all."
Two Italian tourists at the Sandies Bathala Resort have also tested positive for the virus.
Tourism leaders say the country is safe and the makeup of its archipelago makes isolating individual resorts relatively easy.
"One of the advantages we have is that all the island resorts are isolated and not connected to one another, which helps in preventing any spread of the virus," the Maldives Marketing & Public Relations Corporation said.
As an extra precautionary measure, the Maldives tourism ministry has ordered all resorts to cancel excursions to other islands.
Summer Island Resort and Thinadhoo Island were also quarantined but restrictions have now been lifted after tests on suspected coronavirus cases came back negative.
In addition, anyone who has been to mainland China, Iran, South Korea, Italy and Bangladesh in the past 14 days is not permitted to enter or transit the Maldives.
Passengers and airline crew must fill-in a Health Declaration Card and an Immigration Arrival Card before arriving in the Maldives and undergo a screening procedure.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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