Maldives confirmed 323 new Covid-19 cases alongside 518 additional recoveries on Saturday.

According to the latest figures publicized by the Health Protection Agency (HPA), a total of 2,179 samples were tested for the virus between 6pm Friday and 6pm Saturday, of which 295 were collected across the capital.

The new cases confirmed by sundown on Saturday include 20 detected from the Greater Malé Region, 269 from residential islands outside of the capital region and 21 from operational resorts as well.

The location of 13 cases confirmed on Saturday is yet to be determined.

With this development active Covid-19 cases across Maldives have dropped to 14,571 from the previous day’s 14,766.

The public health authority went on to reveal that Maldives Covid-19 case tally has been pushed to 172,270.

Further, the total number of recoveries confirmed across the archipelago nation had been pushed to 157,389 by Saturday’s end.

Three patients were released from the hospital in the reporting period, with which hospital admissions currently sit at eight.

Although Maldives had been reporting high figures since New Year’s, the caseload has been declining over recent days. As such, 3,122 new cases were confirmed nationwide over the past week.

Maldives reported its first Covid-19 fatality in April 2020. The total number of deaths confirmed across the island nation sits at 297.

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 March 30.

Although Maldives had maintained the Covid-19 caseload at low daily figures across the capital region nearing the end of 2021, cases across the capital had spiked in the beginning of the year. Due to this, HPA tightened safety measures across the Greater Malé Region. However, the caseload has been decreasing in recent days.

On February 22, HPA dissolved the regulation mandating PCR testing for those travelling to islands from the capital, amending the guidelines publicized on January 9.

As such, HPA revealed that the changes include dissolving the regulation that mandated PCR test results valid 72 hours prior, when traveling to residential islands from the capital Malé City.

Further, HPA revealed that the limit for the number of people allowed to take part in gatherings and attend events as well as ceremonies in the capital, has been revoked.

While HPA also banned spectators from being present at sports events in the capital due to an alarming spike in Covid-19 infections, it has since been revoked.

However, the public has been urged to continue holding events and other such activities in adherence to the recommendations and instructions in place for the safety of the people.

PCR testing was made mandatory for travelers from the capital to atolls in January, when Maldives was immersed in an escalating outbreak of the virus.

This saw queues at PCR testing centers overcrowded and congested with several people remaining in the queue for hours on end to get their tests done.