Daily Covid-19 cases have dropped below 2,000 in the Maldives, for first time in days.

According to the latest figures publicized by the Health Protection Agency (HPA), a total of 1,834 new coronavirus cases and 2,140 additional recoveries were confirmed nationwide between 6pm Wednesday and 6pm Thursday.

The statistics revealed that a total of 5,657 samples were tested for the infection in the reporting period, of which 748 returned positive from the congested capital, 698 across residential islands outside of the capital and 65 from operational resorts.

2,542 samples were collected across the capital in the reporting period, where the Covid-19 positivity rate currently sits at 29 percent.

HPA revealed that the location of 323 cases confirmed by sundown on Thursday, is yet to be determined.

This development has pushed the Covid-19 case tally across Maldives to 145,036.

Further, the total number of patients who have recovered from the virus across the country has also been pushed to 127,330.

By sundown on Thursday, active Covid-19 cases across Maldives also dropped to 17,413 from 17,721.

Maldives reported two Covid-19 deaths on Thursday, which has pushed the total number of deaths confirmed across the island nation to 280. Hospital admissions dropped to 60 in the reporting period.

Maldives has confirmed less than 2,000 daily infections 12 days after reporting more than 2,000 daily infections.

Maldives reported its first Covid-19 fatality in April 2020, 18 Covid-19 fatalities have been confirmed so far this year.

Although Maldives had maintained the Covid-19 caseload at low daily figures across the capital region in recent months, cases across the capital have been spiking recently. The caseload across the capital has been spiking since New Year’s. Due to this, HPA recently tightened safety measures across the Greater Malé Region.

However, on Tuesday the public health authority eased measures for direct contacts of positive cases across the capital. As such, fully vaccinated direct contacts of Covid-19 positive cases will no longer be required to undergo a quarantine period, if they do not exhibit symptoms.

As such, those who have been fully vaccinated among those identified as direct contacts of positive cases, will not be required to undergo a quarantine period if they do not show symptoms, from Wednesday onwards.

Further, those who have been fully vaccinated among those identified as direct contacts of positive cases and do exhibit symptoms, will be required to undergo Antigen or PCR testing and will not be required to quarantine if their test results return negative for the novel coronavirus. However, they will be required to quarantine until their test results are obtained. These individuals will be required to undergo PCR testing after five days of coming into contact with a covid-stricken individual.

The public health authority went on to reveal that individuals may only use the Covid-19 rapid antigen self-test kits if they have symptoms and should they test positive, they will be required to follow the steps mentioned in the publication.

The isolation period or quarantine period of these individuals will only be documented by the authority if they undergo Covid-19 testing at a registered laboratory or healthcare facility.

The public has been urged to strictly adhere to the safety guidelines in place, in order to curb the spread of coronavirus.

The country has been in a state of public health emergency for nearly two years now, since 12 March 2020. The last extension is set to expire on February 28.