Action has been taken against 210 individuals for violating the Greater Malé Region lockdown on Saturday.

Maldives Police Service (MPS) made the reveal via Twitter on Sunday morning, writing that a total of 201 individuals were fined on Sunday alone.

Further, nine individuals were arrested on Saturday, pushing the total number of individuals under police custody for violating the lockdown orders, to 180.

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.

Malé City was placed under lockdown on April 15 after the first case of community transmission of the Covid-19 pandemic was discovered.

The lockdown will remain in effect until 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.

Authorities have continuously been pushing the public to obey guidelines set by the HPA for the safety and security of the community, 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.