Authorities have imposed fines on a total of 151 individuals who violated the face mask mandate, thus far.

Speaking during Wednesday night’s press briefing, spokesperson at the Health Emergency Operations Center (HEOC), Dr. Nazla Rafeeq revealed that 19 individuals were fined by 6pm Wednesday for not following the face mask mandate, while 145 individuals who breached the curfew order were issued warnings. 120 individuals were issued warnings for not wearing face masks by 6pm Wednesday.

A total of 986 individuals have been let go after issuing warnings, thus far.

Earlier, HEOC had pushed the public to refrain from going out in the public unless completely necessary and to only go out for essential purposes.

On Wednesday night, the Maldives Police Service (MPS) also revealed that they will be monitoring and taking action against curfew violators.

Authorities imposed a seven-hour curfew in the Greater Malé Region on Tuesday, effective between 10pm and 5am.

Wearing face masks in public spaces was made mandatory last week, following an announcement by the President’s Office, in order to help authorities’ control and contain the spread of the global Covid-19 pandemic.

Authorities have stressed that avoiding a second lockdown is “in everyone’s interest”.

On Saturday, police began enforcing the mandate strictly and those caught violating the mandate will be fined by MVR 1,000.

The government has assured that stricter measures will be implemented in light of the rising cases of the global pandemic in the Maldives, which has stirred public concern.