The National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC), on Thursday, announced that citizens in the capital city of Male' would not require permits to be outside between 0500 hrs and 2200 hrs from June 15 onwards.
Speaking at a press conference held at NEOC, Assistant Director at the Ministry of Health Aiminath Shaina Abdulla stated that senior citizens could only move outdoors freely between 0500 hrs and 0800 hrs while children would only be allowed out of their homes between 1600 hrs and 1800 hrs.
The Assistant Director revealed that recreational parks and public spaces would be given clearance to open following June 15.
She added that public transport and taxi services would also be allowed to resume services, provided that they comply with HPA guidelines.
Despite the eased lockdown measures, public gatherings are strictly limited to groups of three people.
While cafe's and restaurants are only permitted to provide takeaway services until 2300 hrs, the Fish Market and other local markets will only be permitted to open after HPA's criteria are met.
From June 15 onwards, hospitals and clinics in the greater Male' region will also recommence the provision OPD, diagnostic Services and radiology services. The state will permit mental health service providers to conduct regular consultations with a limited number of patients.
Specialists in islands will also be able to refer patients to other health facilities.
Although travelling to and from islands with reported COVID-19 cases will continue to be prohibited, restrictions on travel between islands that are not under monitoring.
HPA revealed that schools, government offices and mosques would be permitted to open in July during which Maldives is also scheduled to reopen its borders for tourism.
The Agency also stated that efforts were underway to allow business establishments such as cafe's, restaurants, salons and gyms to resume operations in July.
Public gatherings of less than 10 people will be permitted from July onwards.
Initially implemented on April 15, lockdown measures in the capital city of Male' disrupted the work of several ministerial and institutional offices located in the region. Following several extensions, President Ibrahim Mohammed Solih announced that lockdown measures would be gradually eased following May 28.
As one of the most densely populated cities in the world, Maldives' capital Malé recorded a significant increase in COVID-19 cases in the first weeks following the first confirmed local transmission on April 15. However, the number of recoveries recorded daily are now consistently higher than newly confirmed cases.
Maldives presently records a total of 1,976 confirmed cases, out of which 813 are active cases of COVID-19. The country records 1,153 recoveries and eight deaths.
WHO has classified the spread of COVID-19 as a global pandemic. The new strain of novel coronavirus has infected over 7.5 million people and claimed over 421,393 lives around the world. However, out of those infected, 3.8 million people have recovered.
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