The government has announced the reduction of coronavirus curfew hours in the Maldives congested capital, to take effect on July 1.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih made the announcement on Tuesday evening, via a press conference which was joined by the Minister of Health, Ahmed Naseem and the Minister of Economic Development Fayyaz Ismail.

Announcing further eases to the current restrictions and precautionary measures in place, the president noted that the curfew hours will be reduced to eight hours, effective Thursday.

This was done in a bid to provide eases for citizens to do business and shop for essentials and resolve the challenges they face in shopping within such a small period. The president noted that all businesses will be given the go ahead to open during non-curfew hours. Individuals will be allowed to go out without the need to carry a pass during non-curfew hours as well.

Further, the president announced that mosques will be opened for congregational prayers from July 1 onwards, with the condition that social distancing is strictly adhered to.

President Solih went on to announce that cafés, restaurants and other food outlets will be allowed to resume dine-in services, until 8pm. Dine-in services have been allowed at restaurants at a time the Restaurant Association has been voicing concern over declining income as well as difficulties in the face of restrictions, which restaurant owners have stressed are not even discussed with them prior to being implemented.

The president in Tuesday's presser revealed that their biggest priority is to give the green light for businesses to resume, in a bid to boost the country's economy.

Another ease announced on Tuesday is the ease on domestic travel for persons who have observed 60 days since recovering from Covid-19, without the requirement to undergo quarantine.

These eases have been announced a week after the government announced further eases, reducing the curfew hours to 10 hours across the capital. On June 23 the government allowed gyms to resume services to the public from 5am to 6pm, on an appointment-basis and after presenting a service plan to the authorities. The same was allowed for salons and barber shops a week earlier.

The Covid-19 caseload began spiking into the beginning of May, at a time Maldives was able to control a spike in cases into the beginning of the new year, with strengthened measures such as a curfew period and travel restrictions. However, authorities lifted the measures in place 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, which led to the caseload increasing like never observed before.

Measures were strengthened across the Maldives earlier in May with authorities having imposed a curfew in the capital region from 4pm to 4am. Effective May 26, the curfew hours were extended from 4pm to 8am. However, on June 15 healthcare authorities reduced the coronavirus curfew hours from 4pm to 4am. The curfew hours were reduced due to the decreasing Covid-19 case number being reported on a single-day basis since measures were strengthened across the capital region from May 26. Over the past few days, healthcare authorities have been confirming less than 100 new Covid-19 cases from the Maldives capital.

President Solih revealed that they will continue implementing precautionary measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 if needed, in the future as well.