The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has opened a sample collection center at FAM Building and relocated the one in Social Center to Thaajuddeen School.

According to the public health authority, the change was brought on Monday and the center at Social Center has now been closed. Samples will not be collected at Thaajuddeen School from 9am to 12pm and 3pm to 6pm from Saturday to Wednesday, from 9am to 12pm every Thursday and 3pm to 6pm every Friday.

The health authority went on to reveal that the sample collection center opened at FAM Building, previously run by the Football Association of Maldives (FAM), will be open every day from 2pm to 6pm.

Further, individuals may also visit the sample center in Villimalé every day from 4pm to 6:30pm.

The changes come after the demand for Covid-19 PCR testing surged with the new travel restrictions imposed across the congested capital on Sunday.

Due to an alarming surge in Covid-19 cases across the capital city in recent days, HPA tightened safety measures across the Greater Malé Region, effective Monday.

As such, the measures include disallowing gatherings, events and parties with more than 50 persons, hosting gatherings, events and parties under the guidelines set by the authority, disallowing night and city markets as well as closing off sports activities to the public.

In addition to this, those traveling from the capital region will be required to present negative PCR certification valid 72 hours prior if they have passed 14 days since completing both doses of Covid-19 vaccine, with those who have not completed their vaccine shots being required to undergo a mandatory quarantine period of 14 days and will only be released upon a negative PCR result.

HPA went on to reveal that travelers will be required to present the negative PCR result through the “CovidSafe” portal. Those who are required to quarantine will need to acquire permission from the “Haalubelun” portal.

HPA stated that those who travel to islands from the capital in the next two days have the options to take a sample, travel and stay in quarantine until their results are obtained or to travel and stay in quarantine until tests are done and results are obtained.

This comes as the Covid-19 positivity rate across the Maldives congested capital has risen above 5 percent.