The government has announced a seven-hour curfew in the Greater Malé Region.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) made the announcement late Wednesday.

As such, the public health authority revealed that the curfew will take effect on Thursday, and comes as part of efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19 across the region.

The curfew will be enforced from 9pm to 4am.

As movement within the region comprising of capital Malé City, Hulhumalé and Villimalé, Thilafushi and Gulhifalhu, will be restricted from 9pm to 4am from Thursday onwards, individuals may only go out for essential purposes and delivery services for which a permit will be issued through the Maldives Police Service (MPS).

Since the Covid-19 pandemic surfaced in the Maldives on March 7, authorities had been implementing a number of measures as part of the response efforts and announced a three-hour curfew across the region in April 2020. A community transmission was detection in the region on 15 April 2020 which provoked a full lockdown which remained for months before authorities began easing it in phases. The country is currently experiencing a devastating third peak of the virus. Spiking cases provoked a curfew and ban on vehicle movement earlier this year, however, authorities revoked the measures in time for the fasting month of Ramadan 1442 as well as the Local Council and Women’s Development Committee Elections held in mid-April 2021.

On Wednesday Maldives reported over 700 new Covid-19 infections leaving the country’s Covid-19 tally at 32,665.

There are 7,109 active cases of Covid-19 in the country.

Earlier the public health authority imposed a four-hour ban on vehicle movement in the capital region from Tuesday onwards. Covid-19 measures have been strengthened nationwide in a bid to control the virus.