Maldives Police Service (MPS) has taken action against 229 individuals for violating the lockdown imposed across the Greater Malé Region on Friday alone.

As such, police revealed via Twitter that a total of 220 individuals were slapped with fines on Friday, for breaching the lockdown orders. In addition, nine individuals were arrested as well, pushing the total number of individuals under police custody for violating the lockdown orders, to 171.

After the detection of the first case of community transmission of the Covid-19 pandemic, Malé City was placed under lockdown on April 15 and the lockdown has been extended a number of times since. It is set to expire on May 14.

The government has been issuing permits to go outdoors for essentials every day since the lockdown was imposed, allowing one individual from each household to go out for essential supplies.

Under the orders of the Director General of Public Health, violators of the lockdown will be slapped with MVR 1,000 fines the first time round and repeat offenders will be arrested under Article 533 (a) of the Penal Code.

Stressing that the entire community is put at risk of contracting the virus due to a number of individuals who do not follow instructions set by the authorities for the safety of the community, authorities have continuously been pushing the public to obey guidelines set by the HPA for the safety and security of the community.