Maldives reported 88 new Covid-19 infections and an additional 153 recoveries by sundown on Saturday.

According to latest statistics publicized by the Health Protection Agency (HPA), the new infections were confirmed through 2,664 samples collected between 6pm Friday and 6pm Saturday.

HPA statistics indicate that 37 out of the 88 new infections reported in the Maldives between 6pm Friday and 6pm Saturday, were from the Greater Malé Region. 31 of the remaining cases were reported in residential islands and 20 infections were also detected from operational resorts. This is the lowest number of daily cases to have been reported in weeks.

Over the past week, the public health authority reported 873 coronavirus infections, the highest daily rise having been reported on April 6, at 145.

Saturday’s coronavirus cases have pushed the country’s total Covid-19 case count to 25,524.

The country has observed a total of 22,429 recoveries from the infection since it surfaced in the island nation during March 2020.

Maldives active coronavirus infections dropped to 3,019 from 3,084 within the past 24 hours, with 78 patients remaining hospitalized for treatment. This is four less than the number of hospital admissions the previous day.

Maldives Covid-19 mortality rate is currently at 0.29 percent, with the pandemic having claimed 67 lives thus far, the latest fatality having been reported on March 31 when a 66-year-old man, who was rushed to the Emergency Room of Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) in an unresponsive state, was pronounced dead within minutes.

Authorities reintroduced a curfew in the Greater Malé Region on February 12, in light of the spike in daily infections being reported since January 24. The nearly six-hour curfew was followed by restrictions on vehicle movement from 6pm to 6am for Greater Malé residents. The health authority lifted the restrictions on vehicle movement in the capital city and has also dissolved the curfew.

Maldives has been in a state of public health emergency for over a year and the last extension is set to expire on May 4.

Despite the eases stemming from a gradual decrease in Covid-19 cases being reported, authorities continue to urge the public to strictly adhere to the precautionary measures and guidelines in place such as maintaining a safe distance, avoiding social gatherings, maintaining hygiene and following the face mask mandate.