Maldives Civil Aviation Authority (MCAA) has stated all flights currently arriving from China are intended to carry Chinese tourists who are currently in Maldives back to China.
MCAA made the statement in response to concerns from the public that direct flight operations between China and Maldives are still ongoing, despite the decision of the administration to suspend all such flights as a precautionary measure against a coronavirus outbreak.
MCAA said airlines have been permitted to arrive from China to carry tourists who booked return tickets back to the country. The authority said such flights carry no dangers or risks to Maldives.
As part of the efforts of the administration to prevent an outbreak of the deadly virus that has spread worldwide, a 20-year-old Maldivian man who recently travelled to a meat market in Xiamen, China has been kept in an isolation unit established in Funadhoo, Kaafu Atoll. Tests are being performed on the individual to confirm the presence of the virus in his body.
Meanwhile, the administration has cautioned the public against non-essential travel to China and other affected regions until the outbreak is controlled.