Chief Spokesperson at the President’s Office Mohamed Hussain Shareef has stated that precautionary health screening measures are currently being carried out at the airport amid global concerns surrounding Ebola and Hantavirus outbreaks.
Speaking during a press conference today, the spokesperson said the overall risk of the diseases spreading to the Maldives remains low, but authorities are maintaining heightened vigilance.
According to Shareef, screening efforts are particularly focused on travelers arriving from regions where the outbreaks have been reported.
“The risk is low, but teams are operating on high alert. With close monitoring of both outbreaks, individuals entering the Maldives, especially through the airport, are being actively screened,” he said.
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) had earlier confirmed that it is closely monitoring developments related to Hantavirus cases linked to a cruise vessel operating in the South American region, as well as the Ebola outbreak affecting parts of Uganda and Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Both outbreaks have been identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as significant public health concerns.
Despite the global situation, HPA reiterated that the probability of either disease reaching the Maldives remains low.
However, as a precautionary measure, the agency has advised the public to avoid non-essential travel to regions currently affected by the outbreaks.
The Maldives has historically introduced preventive border screening and monitoring measures during major global health emergencies, including previous international disease outbreaks and pandemics.
Authorities said monitoring efforts and airport screening operations will continue while the global situation remains under observation.
