Health Protection Agency HPA says more restrictions taken against the rampant COVID-19 pandemic would go into effect today as the country fights its worst pandemic wave yet.
HPA had said that starting today the curfew imposed in the Greater Male' Area would be implemented from 04:00 pm to 04:00 am. HPA had said members of the security services, healthcare professionals, emergency services and any individual with the pass from the Health Emergency Operations Center.
The Agency said the extension to the curfew would run for a week in the Greater Male' Area. HPA had also banned dine-in services at cafe's and restaurants in the Greater Male' Area and said that this would be in effect for a week too.
Meanwhile, HPA had banned congregational prayers in the Greater Male' Area in a bid to control the rampant COVID-19 pandemic. HPA clarified this ban would temporary until the situation is brought under control.
The Agency had urged citizens of the Greater Male' Area to stop house visits as the scope of the spread in the area still remains unclear.
HPA had last night reported another 1,501 new cases in the country with 1,229 cases reported in the greater Male' Area alone.
HPA reported another 265 from inhabited islands and 8 cases from operational resorts.
This has taken the total number of cases reported in the island nation to a staggering 38,520.
HPA reported that there are 11,629 active cases of COVID-19 in the country and 247 COVID-19 patients are currently hospitalized for further treatment.
But health officials have warned that the country's precarious health system is nearing collapse with the recent influx of cases in the country and that there won't just be enough healthcare professionals to cope with the new cases.
The global pandemic has killed 87 in the country with more than 11 dying this month alone.
