Taipei, Jul 24 (IANS): Taiwan will lower its Covid-19 alert from level 3 to level 2 from July 27 to August 9, as confirmed cases and deaths have continued to decrease, the island's disease monitoring agency said.

The current level, which has been in place since May 19, will be relaxed to allow the reopening of more businesses and venues, Xinhua news quoted the monitoring agency as saying on Friday.

According to guidelines issued by the agency for the level-2 alert, gatherings will be allowed for as many as 50 people indoors and 100 outdoors, and restaurants will be permitted to offer dine-in services.

However, entertainment venues such as nightclubs, bars and ballrooms will remain closed.

Taiwan on Friday reported 24 new Covid-19 cases, including 23 local infections, and two deaths.

The number of confirmed cases on the island has risen to 15,535, including 14,228 locally-transmitted ones.

A total of 784 deaths have been reported, the agency said.