There are five new cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus in Malta, Superintendent of Public Health Charmaine Gauci has confirmed today.

Four of these were local transmissions and one was imported. All are in good health.

This latest update, the first since Malta opened two new testing hubs, means the country has confirmed five new COVID-19 cases for the second day in a row and 139 COVID-19 patients in total. Increases have been relatively inconsistent; yesterday five cases were confirmed, the day before 19 and the day before that three.

However, Gauci urged against complacency, arguing that the figures probably don’t tell the full story because there’s likely to be people who have the virus but who haven’t been tested because their symptoms are very mild.

“We urge people with symptoms to call 111 for testing and to maintain social distancing,” she said. 

Out of the current 139 patients, 32 are being kept at Mater Dei and private hospitals and the rest at home in isolation. Two people, a 61-year-old and a 60-year-old, are currently receiving treatment at the Intensive Care Unit but both their conditions are stable. Another patient who was receiving treatment at ITU has since been discharged.

432 swabs were carried out yesterday, raising the total number of swabs carried out so far to 4,662 swabs, a figure Gauci said places Malta among the upper echelons of countries in terms of tests carried out per capita.

If you believe you are suffering from the coronavirus, follow the following guidelines:

Stay indoors and avoid contact with other people, as you would with the flu.

Do not go to Mater Dei, the emergency department, health centres, private clinics, or pharmacies. Stay home and call the public health authority’s helpline 111.

If you are returning from any country, do not break self-quarantine rules or you will be subject to a €10,000 fine.

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