Malé, Maldives – President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has extended the duration of the previously announced government office closure, from May 25 to June 8, 2021.
All government offices in the Greater Malé Region (Malé, Hulhumalé, Villingili, Thilafushi and Gulhifalhu) are to remain closed as a precautionary measure to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Despite the temporary closure of offices and directive for employees to work from home as necessary, all essential services would continue without interruption by allowing the minimum number of required employees to attend their respective offices. A Minister or head of an office or institution should authorise any exemptions. In contrast, government offices would provide other public services online.
In his directive, President Solih reiterated the importance of adhering to the instructions of the Health Protection Agency (HPA) to control the spread of the coronavirus. Regardless of the decision to close government offices, the period would not be declared government holidays.
Maldives has recorded 142 Covid-19 related deaths since the pandemic began. 13 people passed away yesterday alone, a record number of fatalities in one day in recent history of Maldives.
Doctors are warning that Maldives that Covid-19 is out of control in the country, and everyone has to acknowledge instead of blaming one another to control the crisis. The healthcare workers are stretched to their limits. With the active health facilities in the country overburdened with Covid-19 patients, the non-Covid-19 treatments are threatened to be hampered. Medical professionals have repeatedly stressed the threat of medical facilities being overburdened to the point that they have to choose patients to treat depending on who is sicker.
