Police say they’ve reprimanded 472  people for not abiding by Covid-19 safety measures.

In light of the spike in coronavirus cases in Qatar, the Ministry of Interior (MoI) says it is cracking down on people violating Covid-19 restrictions. On Tuesday a total of 472 violations were reported by authorities.

363 of these violations were people booked for not wearing masks, 104 for not maintaining social distancing, and 5 for failing to have the Ehteraz track and trace application on their phone. Cases have been referred to the public prosecution office for further action.

Read also: Leaked memo outlines Qatar’s new PCR test regulations

On December 29, Qatar’s cabinet reinstated the mandatory wearing of face masks in all public places and announced some minor restrictions on public gatherings. With those limited restrictions failing to curb the rapid rise in infections in Qatar, many expect authorities to announce a new set of regulations and safety measures very soon.

On Sunday, Qatar officially recorded 1,695 new COVID cases 87 of which were admitted either into accurate or intensive care hospital units. With major delays in PCR testing and overcrowding at clinics and testing centres, the actual number of positive cases is believed to be far higher.