The mayor of a Sicily town has criticised Malta for having a lack of COVID-19 checks after 11 residents tested positive following their return from a holiday on the island.

According to the Sicilian newspaper, la Repubblica, a group of 13 friends came to Malta for a six-day holiday. Upon returning home, two suffered mild symptoms of COVID-19 eventually leading to 11 of the 13 holidaymakers testing positive.

“They were on vacation, they went to clubs and discos,” said the mayor of Canicattini Bagni.

“From looking at the photos on social media, I don’t think that there are many checks in Malta,” he said.

According to the newspaper, Canicattini Bagni recorded 32 new cases of COVID-19, seven of which have been hospitalised.

The hospitalisations are believed to have come due to the fact that the young holidaymakers had travelled to Malta.

A total of 53 people have tested positive for COVID-19 from a Paceville cluster.

Following a spike in cases, the Maltese government has introduced a new set of measures to prevent mass gatherings and events. However, photos uploaded on social media over the weekend indicated that partygoers ventured to Malta’s party hub nonetheless.

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