Maldives reported 1,576 new Covid-19 cases by sundown on Monday.

According to the latest figures publicized by the Health Protection Agency (HPA), 1,969 additional recoveries were also confirmed between 6pm Sunday and 6pm Monday.

The public health authority tested a total of 5,343 samples in the reporting period, of which 517 returned positive from the congested capital, 771 across residential islands outside of the capital and 87 from operational resorts.

HPA also revealed that 1,942 samples were collected across the capital in the reporting period, where the Covid-19 positivity rate currently sits at 27 percent.

Further, the location of 201 cases confirmed by sundown on Monday, is yet to be determined.

HPA went on to reveal that the country’s coronavirus case tally currently sits at 151,913.

The total number of patients who have recovered from the virus across the country has also been pushed to 134,841.

With this development, active Covid-19 cases across Maldives have dropped to 16,775 from 17,169.

Eight more patients were hospitalized for treatment in the reporting period, with which the total number of Covid-19 patients receiving in-hospital treatment has risen to 60.

Maldives reported its first Covid-19 fatality in April 2020. The total number of deaths confirmed across the island nation sits at 284.

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.