Maldives Covid-19 active cases has risen to 553 with 26 new cases and an additional eight recoveries reported on Friday.

While the new cases were confirmed from the 2,870 samples tested within 24 hours, 14 of the cases are from then greater Male’ region, eight from inhabited islands and four from tourist establishments including one from a liveaboard vessel.

This includes 14 locals, three Bangladeshis, two Czechs as well as one individual each from Kuwait, United Kingdom, Morocco, Russia, India, Thailand and Nepal.

With the 26 new cases announced on Friday, the country’s Covid-19 tally has reached 13,444.

The country’s recovery rate is at 95.47 percent with a total of 12,835 patients having recovered from the virus thus far. Mortality rate is at 0.36 percent with 48 deaths.

Out of the 553 active coronavirus cases across the island nation, 432 of the cases in the greater Male’ region. Further, there are 46 active cases in outlying atolls, 56 cases in tourist establishments, 17 cases in island under development as well as one active case in an industrial island.

47 patients are receiving treatment at hospitals, one less than the previous day.

Out of the 13,444 coronavirus infections confirmed in the island nation since March, 63.09 percent are locals. 24.40 percent of the total cases are Bangladeshis; the largest migrant worker population in the country.

Authorities have been gradually lifting Covid-19 safety restrictions following the decline in daily cases since September, especially in the capital. As such, while locals and work visa holders that return to the country will not be required to quarantine from Sunday, if traveling to the capital, while those traveling to other areas still have to undergo a 10-day quarantine period. Further, the curfew in effect since April was lifted on Friday.