With nearly 300 new Covid-19 infections, Maldives Covid-19 case tally has risen to 179,171.

This was revealed by the Health Protection Agency ((HPA) in its latest figures publicized on Monday.

As such, statics revealed that between April 17 – 23, a total of 288 new Covid-19 infections were confirmed, including 37 from the congested capital Greater Malé Area, 205 from residential islands outside of the capital and 46 reported from others including industrial islands, liveaboard vessels and resorts.

Maldives reported its first Covid-19 fatality in April 2020. The country’s death toll from coronavirus currently sits at 298. No new fatalities were reported in the past week.

No new infections were reported from the congested capital, on Saturday, making it the first time in many months.

Over the past week, the highest number of Covid-19 cases was reported on Tuesday, at 84 while cases dropped as low as 24 on Friday. The caseload in outlying atolls remain high, despite low numbers being reported from the capital.

While the sample positivity rate across the nation rose up to 36 percent in the beginning of February after being maintained at four percent in December 2021, it has since been declining.

Sample positivity in the capital region hiked to 45 percent in early February, when Maldives was immersed in an overwhelming outbreak of the Omicron variant.

The state of public health emergency declared nationwide on 12 March 2020, was dissolved starting 13 March 2022.

HPA announced a number of measures to tighten health and safety restrictions in a bid to curb the spread of Covid-19 across the island nation earlier in March.

As such, the face mask mandate that came into effect across the Maldives in February 2021, has also been dissolved. The move also coincided with the start of the fasting month of Ramadan.

Although face masks are no longer mandatory, the public will be required to continue the use of face masks where healthcare services are being provided, including staff, patients and visitors.

Further, the residents of islands or regions where the Covid-19 positivity rate is higher than 20 percent, are still required to use face masks.

The public health authority went on to encourage the public to continue the use of face masks if they are considered high risk or have high risk individuals in their circle, when out in public, if they exhibit symptoms, if they attend gatherings or events with large crowds of people, while using public transport vehicles like taxis, busses and ferries as well as while attending indoor activities and other places where public services are provided.

The changes were brought after the current pandemic situation was thoroughly analyzed.

As such, some of the key points taken into consideration when revoking the state of public health emergency, exactly after two years since it was imposed, include the fact that the Covid-19 situation in most islands and regions is improving as well as the success in maintaining hospitalization and death rates low.

Further, HPA revealed that a majority of the population have completed the first two doses of the vaccination, as booster dose administration continues to increase.

It was also revealed that Covid-19 response will continue according to the ‘Covid-19 Strategy’, and measures will be taken according to the prevailing Covid-19 situation, even though the public health emergency has been revoked.

Further, inbound travelers can now enter Maldives without presenting negative PCR certification and travelers are no longer required to present PCR test results, even if they haven’t completed the Covid-19 vaccination.

Starting 13 March 2022, inbound travelers are also not required to stay in quarantine, even if they are not fully vaccinated.

Despite these eases, testing of symptomatic persons, isolation of positive persons and quarantine for contacts of positive persons will continue.

This comes at a time Maldives recently went through an overwhelming peak of Covid-19, following the celebrations to bring in the new year.