Maldives’ Covid-19 tally has reached 17,716 with 209 new cases reported on Saturday.

The latest Health Protection Agency (HPA) statistics show that 209 persons have tested positive for Covid-19 in the Maldives from the 4,006 samples tested within 24 hours.

Out of Saturday's 209 cases, 101 were reported from the nation's congested Covid-19 epicenter Male' City, with the second-highest number of cases being reported from industrial islands where 73 persons tested positive for Covid-19. 15 cases were detected from inhabited islands and 14 cases were reported from liveaboard vessels, with an additional six cases corresponding to positive tests from operational resorts.

With this, the Maldives' total Covid-19 tally now sits at 17,716, and the nation has thus far reported 58 deaths linked to Covid-19. The most recent deaths were two elderly local women, who were confirmed to have died from Covid-19 health complications on Saturday.

A total of 149 recoveries were observed from the virus in Maldives between 6pm Friday and 6pm Saturday, bringing the total number of recoveries reported in the country thus far up to 15,291.

There are currently 2,360 active cases across the country, with 190 patients receiving in-hospital care.

In a a press briefing on Saturday, Ahmed Nasir, Director, Public Health Inspectorate section a at HPA, Athiya Naseer, Minister of State for Education and Superintendent of Police Hussain Sameer, Head of the MPS Traffic Management Department described the changes they would be implementing across Male' City to control transmission of Covid-19.

Also at the press, Director Ahmed Nasir went on detail the familiar difficulties of a lockdown, and stated that the restrictive measures currently in place were to control Covid-19 transmissions without having resort to more drastic inconveniences that may little room for daily life and economic activities.

Highlighting the importance of following HPA guidelines, Nasir warned that in new cases were not controlled, the public health authority would rethink the decision about a possible lockdown, as it had proved successful in controlling the spread of the virus last year.

Referring to those who would need to use vehicles in Male' City for work, Superintendent of Police Hussain Sameer revealed that permits for those working shifts at places which operate for 24-hours would be issued through the Police's Permit Portal, with temporary permits being issued for the time of the employees working hours. Processing permits are expected to take between 10 minutes and 30 minutes every time.

He added that restaurants could all have two vehicles operational for delivery between 6PM and 1030PM, and detailed that those guesthouse vehicles making trips to the airport would also be permitted to drive after sundown. Sameer explained that 10 cars from every taxi center in the city would be issued permits to drive, and that emergency permits would be available for those wishing to go to the hospital or graveyard.

Under the tightened restrictions, more than 10 people are no longer allowed to gather on the streets or in public spaces. A curfew will be in effect in the city between 11PM and 4AM, as authorities tighten health and safety regulations across the city in order to prevent the spread of Covid-19.