Chief Government Spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef (Mundhu) has stated that the chances of Ebola virus and Hantavirus entering the Maldives are very low.

Answering a question raised by a journalist regarding the matter at a press conference held at the President's Office today, Mundu said that the Maldives always maintains very robust policies in relation to global pandemics. He mentioned that this includes border closures and strengthening screening processes.

"First of all, the Ministry of Health and relevant authorities state that the chance of these two diseases entering the Maldives is very low," Mundu said.

Mundu stated that although the risk of the two viruses entering the Maldives is low, they are working on "urgent alert."

Mundu noted that even now, individuals entering the Maldives are being screened within the established protocol.

Following the recent spread of 'Andes virus', a type of Hantavirus, on a cruise ship, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have begun assessing the risk to public health.

In this outbreak, which spread on the cruise ship 'MV Honduras' traveling in the Atlantic Ocean early last May, eight people were infected and three died.

Furthermore, a new outbreak of Ebola has started spreading in African countries. Consequently, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a public health emergency.