Health Protection Agency HPA has imposed an 8-hour curfew in the Greater Male' Area amid the dramatic rise in new COVID cases in the capital city in the last few days.

HPA confirmed via Twitter that in the efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19, a curfew will be imposed in the Greater Malé Area (Malé, Hulhumalé, Villimalé).

The Agency noted that the curfew would be imposed from 09:00 pm to 04:00 am and that it would be implemented effective today.

HPA also said that Police will continue to issue permits for delivery services and other essential needs.

The curfew follows a vehicle ban in the area between 12:00 am to 04:00 am which came into effect yesterday.

Authorities had also shut down schools and offices in the Greater Male' Area in a bid to deter the spread of the virus in the Area.

HPA reported had a total of 1,920 new cases in the country in the last three days and had confirmed that 1,377 of those cases were reported from the Greater Male' Area.

HPA had also confirmed that it is now working to set a new flu clinic and a sampling center to better cope with the new influx of COVID cases.