Maldives has confirmed 204 new Covid-19 cases and 1,916 additional recoveries.

According to the latest figures publicized by the Health Protection Agency (HPA), a total of 1,667 samples were tested for the infection between 6pm Friday and 6pm Saturday.

Of these, 362 were collected across the capital.

The new cases confirmed by sundown on Saturday include 14 detected from the Greater Malé Region, 171 from residential islands outside of the capital region and 14 from operational resorts as well.

With this development Maldives Covid-19 case tally has risen to 174,367.

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

The public health authority went on to reveal that active Covid-19 cases across Maldives have dropped to 12,520 from the previous day’s 14,232.

Further, the total number of recoveries confirmed across the archipelago nation had been pushed to 161,537 by Saturday’s end.

Hospital admissions remain unchanged from the previous day, at four.

Just a few days after the celebrations to ring in the new year in January, Maldives began to experience a hike in Covid-19 cases, with daily cases being reported up to 2,000 for weeks. However, the caseload has been declining of recent.

As such, over the past week, recoveries outnumbered daily Covid-19 cases reported. From March 6 to 12, 2,097 new cases and 4,148 recoveries were reported across the country. The highest rise in daily cases was reported on Monday at 488, with cases dropping as low as 172 on Friday.

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.

On March 7, the public health authority revealed that PCR testing for tourists staying at guesthouses will not be required prior to departure and that pre-arrival PCR testing is also not required for passengers who have completed both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine approved by the Maldives Food and Drug Authority, at least 14 days prior to arrival.