Male' City Council (MCC) has temporarily halted issuing permits to hold night markets in the Greater Male' Region.
The city council made the decision in accordance with the instructions issued by the Health Protection Agency (HPA). The city council revealed suspension in issuing permits comes amid the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in Male' City and as a preventive measure to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the Maldives.
Issuing permits for events such as night markets to prevent the spread of COVID-19 has been halted over the past two years. However, permits were issued at the end of last year to hold night markets in the Greater Male' Region.
The number of people testing positive for COVID-19 is increasing in the Maldives. As such, 224 people tested positive for COVID-19 in the Maldives on January 5. Meanwhile, cases over 200 have been reported from the Maldives for three consecutive days.
HPA has advised strengthening preventive measures against COVID-19 as the new Omicron variant has been spreading across the country.