With the new curfew taking effect tonight to reduce the spread of COVID-19, Maldives Police Service has said that the last public transport time at night would be 10:30 p.m. before the services will be suspended.

The new time was announced by the Head of Traffic Management Department of the Maldives Police Service, Superintendent Hussain Sameer. at the press conference held at the Health Emergency Operation Center (HEOC) today.

He said that bus service and the ferry services coming in and leaving Male’ City will be subject to this new regulation.

Superintendent Sameer said that those delivering water and gas will be allowed use two 350 tonnage vehicles to make deliveries between 8:30 a.m. and 11 p.m. and taxi centers will receive ten permits to accommodate the public with essential travel.

With the spike in cases in late January, Health Protection Agency (HPA) yesterday that starting tonight, a curfew would be enforced from 11 p.m. o 4:30 a.m. in the Male’ City area while a vehicle ban will start from 8:30 p.m. to 4:30 a.m.

Today, the Economic Ministry also changed the business hours for shops, cafés and restaurants from 5 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.