66 out of the 172 new Covid-19 infections detection nationwide, were from the congest capital city of Maldives, Malé.

According to the latest statistics released by the Health Protection Agency (HPA), 4,523 samples were tested for coronavirus between 6pm Tuesday and 6pm Wednesday.

By sundown on Wednesday, the country’s active Covid-19 cases had dropped to 4,362 from 4,569.

96 of the new cases were detected from residential islands, with the remaining 10 cases having been confirmed from operational resorts.

With this development, Maldives Covid-19 case tally has risen to 72,466.

Further, HPA reported 379 recoveries from Covid-19 over the past 24 hours, with which the country has observed a total of 67,886 coronavirus recoveries so far.

Statistics go on to reveal that 41 patients are currently hospitalized for Covid-19 treatment. This is two more than the previous day.

Not long after Maldives was able to control a spike in cases into the beginning of the year, the Covid-19 caseload began spiking in the beginning of May once again. This came not long after authorities lifted the measures in place after it was confirmed as the fourth wave, in time for the fasting month of Ramadan 1442 as well as the Local Council and Women’s Development Committee elections held in mid-April.

Measures were strengthened across the Maldives earlier in May with authorities having imposed a curfew in the capital region from 4pm to 4am. On May 26, the curfew hours were extended from 4pm to 8am and authorities also imposed movement restrictions for capital region residents outside the curfew hours, making it mandatory for residents to carry household permits to go out from 8am to 4pm.

Following a decline in cases, once again public health authorities on June 15 reduced curfew hours in the capital region from 4pm to 4am. A week later on June 22, authorities reduced the curfew hours from 6pm to 4am.

Also on Tuesday authorities eased travel restrictions, allowing travel between the Covid-19 epicenter Malé City and residential islands.

Maldives remains in a state of public health emergency since 12 March 2020 which was last extended to expire on 3 July.