For people stuck at home, the idea of being stuck on a beautiful island seems better than being confined to your couch during the coronavirus pandemic. But for the hundreds of visitors stuck in the Maldives, the island has proven to be a nightmare.
The Maldives’ Minister of Tourism, Ali Waheed, told CNN that there are about 500 tourists are still stranded. Around 100 of those people are stuck in the airport. Waheed added that the government is helping people who cannot afford to continue staying in resorts.
The island nation in the Indian Ocean is known for its luxury resorts, and like many places around the world, the tourism industry there has been hit hard by COVID-19 as the country closed its borders and canceled flights.
The first two coronavirus cases in the Maldives were declared in early March and officials declared a public health emergency on March 12.
There have been a total of 468 coronavirus cases reported on the island. At least 17 have recovered from the virus and one has died.
In early April, the New York Times reported how life has been on the island for one couple stuck there on what they call a “never-ending” honeymoon.
“There is nowhere to go,” Olivia De Freitas told the paper. “Everyone says they want to be stuck on a tropical island until you’re actually stuck. It only sounds good because you know you can leave.”