99 people tested positive for Covid-19 in the Maldives on Tuesday, with 554 persons being vaccinated against the infection as Health Protection Authority (HPA) announced the strengthening of Covid-safety measures across the country.

82 of Tuesday's 99 cases were from the Greater Male' region, five from inhabited islands and 12 from operational resorts. With this, the total number of Covid-19 cases reported in the country has risen to 16,155 while active cases are at 1,833.

As of 6pm on Tuesday, 186 people were receiving in-hospital care for Covid-19, which is two more than the previous day, and an additional 73 recoveries from the infection were reported between Monday and Tuesday. The total number of Covid-19 recoveries observed in the Maldives now stands at 14,263.

Tuesday was the first time in over a week that the number of new cases reported daily in the country have been below the 100-case mark.

HPA also statistics also show that as of 6pm on Tuesday, 880 people in the Maldives have been vaccinated against Covid-19. 554 from this number were administered the vaccine doses on Tuesday, and 666 of the total number correspond to those who received the vaccine from the Greater Male' area.

On Monday, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih inaugurated the Maldives' Covid-19 vaccination program, under which vaccination efforts are set to commence in all inhabited islands of the Maldives.

In a press briefing held on Tuesday, HPA announced that the compliance rate for Covid-19 health and safety measures were concerningly low in the Male' area, and that this was causing the capital's caseload to increase beyond a manageable level.

HPA urged all members of the public to be more compliant towards existing safety measures, and also announced that the authority would be conducting mass inspections of commercial and service-oriented spaces within the Greater Male' area.

On Tuesday, HPA announced a mask mandate for all inhabited islands of the Maldives beginning February 7, in addition to other revisions to the Covid-19 health and safety measures, which will come into effect beginning 3 February for a period of two weeks. This includes an extension to the curfew in place for the Greater Male' area. Curfew will now last between 11pm and 4:30am, with an additional ban on vehicles to come into effect between 8:30pm and 4:30am. According to HEOC, the vehicle and gatherings ban, and the extended curfew will be in effect in Male' City for two weeks; HEOC assured that they would be revised as needed based on how well the transmission of Covid-19 in the capital city is contained within the first week.

Colleges and universities will be required to conduct online classes for a period of two weeks, with pre-schools, nurseries and daycares also closing down until further notice.

The HEOC has advised all members of the public to be more vigilant in complying with Covid-19 safety protocols, including hand hygiene, masking, and social distancing measures.