MALE, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The number of COVID-19 cases in Maldives rose to 13 on Monday after three more people tested positive to the virus, according to Maldives' Health Protection Authority (HPA).
Two of the individuals who tested positive were on a safari while the third was at the Anatara Dhigu Maldives Resort, local media reported.
According to the HPA, out of the 13 cases in the country, 11 are held in an isolation center in Farukolhu, and 18 are held at a resort converted into a quarantine center in Villivaru.
All of the cases are foreign citizens who are either tourists or migrant workers.
The government has restricted check-in to guesthouses in the Greater Male' area and implemented entry restrictions on tourists arriving from Spain, Germany, France, Italy, South Korea, China and Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, the government of the Maldives has allocated 13 billion U.S. dollars from its contingency budget to finance precautionary measures to be taken during a 30-day state of public health emergency, local media reported Monday.
Spokesperson of National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) Mohamed Mabrooq Azeez told reporters that the fund does not include donations and financial aid.
Azeez also said an additional 5,000 COVID-19 test kits have been brought in, bringing the country's total number of kits up to 6,000.
Tourism Minister Ali Waheed said that finances from the country's Tourism Trust Fund may be used to bring health equipment and technical experts to Maldives.
Last week, the Ministry of Health declared a state of public health emergency and has since made arrangements for COVID-19 tests to be made at Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH), the results of which can be received in 12-24 hours.
