Maldives Police Service (MPS) has revealed 18 places accommodating expatriate workers in Male’ City have been placed under monitoring.
Speaking at the daily press briefing held at National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC), Assistant Commissioner of Police Ismail Naveen said 18 places, accommodating a total of 837 expatriates in Male’, have been placed under monitoring following the efforts to identify congested spaces which expatriates live in. He said entry and exit from these places have been temporarily prohibited, while information is being collected on the expatriates living there.
On April 21, the police began efforts to identify congested spaces accommodating expatriates, as such places pose a high risk for the transmission of COVID-19. While 188 individuals have tested positive for COVID-19 in the Maldives so far, 84 of them are Bangladeshi nationals working in the Greater Male’ Region. Authorities revealed most of them are living in spaces not suitable for living.
As part of the efforts of the administration to relocate expatriates to better living spaces, new accommodation facilities are being developed in Gulhifalhu. Meanwhile, over 300 expatriates have been relocated to accommodation facilities developed in Phase 2 of Hulhumale’.