Health Protection Agency HPA has eased some of the restrictive measures taken against the COVID-19 pandemic in the Greater Male' Area where the infection still remains rampant.
In an earlier morning announcement, HPA had said that it had now revoked the announcement on closing down public parks and spaces have now been revoked. But it said that the other measures currently in place in the Greater Male' Area would remain for another week.
This would include the closure of cinemas and movie theaters as well as closing down running tracks, and stopping all group exercise activities.
In another announcement issued in the early hours of this morning, HPA also said that the vehicle ban that had been in place in the Greater Male' Area has now been lifted. But it said that the curfew would remain in place in the bustling city and that it would continue from 11:00 pm till 04:00 am every day.
The eases afforded by HPA had drawn stern criticism from top religious scholar Dr. Mohamed Iyaz today.
He said that it is saddening to see the HPA ease these restrictions while the restrictions on congregational prayers would remain in place.
Earlier this month, the Islamic Ministry had said with the rise in COVID-19 cases in the Greater Male' Area, mosques in the city must maintain social distancing during communal prayers.
Dr. Iyaz had voiced his discontent with such measures earlier too and had said that no research had shown that the illness is spreading from mosques. He had said that authorities must take random samples from mosque-goers and present research on the matter before taking such 'drastic' measures.
