As the renewed wave of Covid infections continues to engulf South Asian countries, authorities in the Maldives have decided to bar entry of people of the region holding its work visa, reported Raajje TV. 

The measures came after the archipelago, too, witnessed a sustained increase in the daily number of infections, burdening its limited health infrastructure. The country has been reporting over 700 infections daily and has over 8000 active cases. 

Furthermore, tourists from the region have also be barred from staying in residential islands. The ban will come into effect from today. Indians tourists were already banned from residential islands. 

Health Protection Authority, the body that oversees the country’s Covid response, said they are concerned about the prevalence of fast-spreading variants across the region. 

The archipelago is facing tough choices of keeping its tourism industry, which is the backbone of its economy, open and also limiting the spread of the virus. Last year it managed to keep the spread in check, resulting in the early revival of its tourism industry.