President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has met with the cabinet and relevant authorities to discuss precautionary measures to be taken to protect the Maldives against the outbreak of Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in China.
The cabinet meeting was held this afternoon at the President’s Office. Speaking at the meeting, President Solih highlighted that the government took immediate action following news of the outbreak, and detailed that the government took preemptive measures by forming a special task force post-haste. He also added that the task force is actively involved in their duties and coordinating with all other relevant stakeholders. The cabinet was also briefed on the latest updates from the task force regarding the preventive measures and actions being taken.
The cabinet ministers deliberated extensively on the matter, including steps to be taken and the procedure to be followed as precautions. The president further highlighted the importance of taking precautionary, preemptive and protective measures and urged government authorities to work collaboratively in the process to ensure the safety and security of all Maldivians living everywhere.
In a separate meeting held with relevant authorities, President Solih enquired about the progress of the work of the special task force assembled to take preventive measures and actions to prevent an outbreak in the Maldives. The president also urged the authorities to pay close attention and to carefully monitor the sensitive matter at hand.
Moreover, President Solih queried on the procedure to be followed in the event that an infected individual is found in the Maldives. He also questioned the authorities on the steps taken to ensure the safety and security of the Maldivians living in Wuhan Province in China.
The meeting was attended by relevant authorities including health sector personnel and officials from Maldives Defense Force, Maldives Police Services and the Disaster Management Centre.