The High Commission of India in the Maldives has stated 700 Indians in the Maldives will be repatriated to India in the first phase of repatriation efforts launched by the government of India.
In a tweet, the Indian High Commission said the first round of repatriation trips to be arranged from Male' to Kochi on May 8 by the Indian naval ship will be aimed at repatriating pregnant women, people who have lost jobs, tourists and people with medical emergencies. The Indian High Commission said the number of repatriation flights will depend on the number of people looking to return back to India. The Indian nationals will first be quarantined for 14 days in Kochi after they return back to their country before they are permitted to go home.
The Maldives has seen a rapid increase in COVID-19 cases over the past three weeks and a majority of the people who have tested for the coronavirus include foreign workers including 52 fom India. An estimated 30,000 Indians work in the Maldives as doctors, teachers in addition to many working in the construction sector.