WINDHOEK, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- Namibia further relaxed the country's COVID-19 regulations for the next 30 days, president Hage Geingob announced on Friday.

In his 35th public briefing with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic, Geingob said the number of people permitted at public gatherings will be increased up to 200 from the previous 150 while the curfew time which was previously at 11:00 p.m. local time will be suspended altogether.

Restrictions related to nightclubs, gambling houses, betting houses and gyms will see those entities operating at half capacity, the president said.

He said the decision comes after cabinet met earlier this week and made deliberations.

"With the trend of declining COVID-19 positive cases, decreasing hospitalizations and deaths in the country, the cabinet met this week to deliberate on the next dispensation of the public health regulations." "Informed by available data and consistent with the approach of evidence-based decision-making, I will today announce further relaxation of the measures in our national response," said Geingob.

The new regulations will be effective from Oct. 16.