Health Protection Agency HPA says more than 255,900 individuals in the Maldives have now been fully vaccinated against the COVID-19 pandemic after receiving two doses of the vaccine.

In its latest vaccination update, HPA said that COVID vaccinations were carried out on the 16th of this month and that a total of 674 people were administered the second dose of the vaccine while 25 received the first dose of the COVID vaccine.

HPA said that it had now administered the first dose of the COVID vaccine to 320,482 people across the country while 255,954 out of those individuals have now received the 2nd dose of the vaccine in the country.

The number of people who had been fully vaccinated had increased over the last few days after HPA resumed administering the Covishield vaccine in the country earlier this month. The much-awaited Covishield vaccine is now being administered to those who received its first dose and only on an appointment basis.

Meanwhile, HPA said on Saturday that vaccination centers in the Greater Male' Area would be closed from today onwards. It said that vaccination schedules would be released following the Eid holidays.

HPA had said that there are 6 vaccination centers and 3 mobile units in the Greater Male' Area and that 176 vaccination centers in Atolls.