A person in Maldives has been confirmed as the first positive case of swine flu in the country, the Health Ministry has announced on Saturday.
A press release issued by the Ministry said that the Indonesian woman they had quarantined earlier after she was suspected to have contacted the disease had tested positive for the Influenza-A H1N1 virus. The tests had been done by sending blood samples to Sri Lanka.
The Director General of Health Services, Dr Ibrahim Yasir, had said on Thursday night that an Indonesian woman working at Baa atoll Coco Palm Resort had tested positive for swine flu. However, a Health Ministry official said in an interview with TVM on Friday night that the woman had tested positive for Influenza-A virus and blood samples had been sent to Sri Lanka to confirm whether she was infected with the Swine Flu virus. The official further said that they couldn’t say for sure if she was infected with swine flu virus until they received the results of the tests.
Dr Yasir said that suspicion that the 39-year-old woman might be infected with swine flu had been raised when she had gone to see a doctor at the Baa Thulhaadhoo Health Centre one week ago. She was promptly brought to Hulhulé and quarantined, Yasir said.
July 26, 2009
Health Ministry confirms first swine flu case in Maldives
Maldives nominated for final round of “New 7 Wonders of Nature” campaign
The Maldives archipelago has been nominated for the final (third) round of the “New 7 Wonders of Nature” campaign. Maldives will be competing against 27 other nominees for the honour of becoming one of the new seven wonders of nature.
The campaign is a process in which seven natural wonders of the world are chosen by people through a global poll which will be declared in the year 2011.
The campaign is organized by the Swiss based New7Wonders Foundation after their success in organizing the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007. 261 qualified national and multinational nominees competed to make it to the top 77. Voting to determine the top 77 in each of the seven competing categories commenced on January 7th and ended on July 7th 2009. The New7Wonders Panel of Experts then selected 21 finalists from the top 77 nominees.
Those who wish to vote in the contest can visit the New7Wonders website at http://www.new7wonders.com/ to cast their vote for their favourites.
President Nasheed: Honour and integrity must be earned through deeds and words
Honour and integrity must be earned through one’s own deeds and words, President Mohamed Nasheed has said. He made the statement in his radio address to the nation which was broadcast on the Voice of Maldives at 7.15 on Friday morning.
“The Government will not lose its authority,” he said. “Its integrity and honour will not diminish. Integrity, honour, authority and majesty cannot be bought, and nor can we gain them through mere legislation.”
In his radio address, the President also focused on the history of the Maldives’ efforts for independence and sovereignty.
He said after a shifting political history, the Maldives gained independence from the British on 26 July 1965. President Nasheed paid tribute to the role of former President Ibrahim Nasir, who was the then Prime Minster of the Maldives, in securing independence for the Maldives. He said President Nasir was the main architect behind the Maldives’ efforts for independence.
President Nasheed also expressed gratitude for all those who had worked with President Nasir in those efforts.
Recalling that Thursday was Martyrs Day, the President paid tribute to Sultan Kalaafaanu who was martyred some 400 years ago.
Highlighting that 25th July will be the 20th anniversary of Kalaafaanu School, the President said that a copy of a historical manuscript – dating back to the same period – to build and maintain a mausoleum for Sultan Kalaafaanu in Hangn’aameedhoo would be on display at Kalaafaanu School. The manuscript was found among documents at the President’s Office.
