Authorities in the Maldives have decided to reimpose seven-hour-long night curfew in the Greater Male region as its daily COVID-19 caseload crossed 700 for the first time, reported Raajje TV. The active case count has crossed over 7000 in the archipelago. 

Hospitals are also struggling as more patients this time are requiring ICU beds and admission in the hospitals. The country’s Health Protection Agency (HPA)- the main body to manage this crisis- in a meeting on Wednesday announced further restrictions. 

The night curfew will come into effect from Thursday. Over 300,000 people have already received at least one dose of vaccines in the Maldives which has a population of around half a million people. 

Earlier, the HPA had barred inter-island movement of people, except in the case of the greater Male region. Indians tourists were already banned from staying in inhabited islands. Furthermore, the HPA mandated negative RT-PCR tests for all tourists, including the vaccinated people.

Abdullah Mausoom, the country’s tourism minister, has expressed his concern over the rising case. He said the increased cases might have an impact on foreign tourists’ arrival. The industry is indeed the backbone of the country’s economy, which contributes 70 percent of its total revenue. 

Also, the rise in the cases in India- which was the top source market for the country's economy-dependent tourism industry- has adversely affected the country’s tourism. Mausoom said the arrivals from India had dipped significantly (SAM)