Prime Minister Robert Abela will be addressing an urgent press conference at midnight after a fourth person was found to be suffering from COVID-19.

Abela called the press conference at 11pm this evening. It is as yet unknown what the Prime Minister will announce.

A fourth person was found to be suffering from COVID-19 just days after the first three cases were confirmed in Malta.

The government has appealed for calm and for everyone to act responsibly as there is no need for alarm.

However, the same cannot be said for nearby Italy, who has put the entire nation on lockdown.

Malta has suspended certain flight routes and increased measures to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus.

If you believe you are suffering from the coronavirus following 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.

You can call +356 21324086 for advice.

Avoid calling 112 unless it is a real emergency. That emergency line is crucial in saving lives in peril, and having it be flooded with calls on the coronavirus could have fatal consequences.