There are seven new cases of COVID-19 in Malta, the Ministry of Health confirmed.

This was found after 1,353 swab tests were conducted yesterday, bringing the total number of tests carried out to 122,348 since testing began in March.

All new patients were symptomatic, two of which were imported and another formed part of the COVID-19 cluster associated with the hotel takeover party last weekend. 

With no new recoveries, active cases rose again to 34.

One of the cases had been admitted to Mater Dei hospital for non-virus related reasons and was found to test positive for COVID-19 as part of the hospitals standard’s protocol to test all admissions.

This case led to a ward being closed off and a nurses and doctors placed in quarantine.

Active cases have been on the rise since Monday, when a cluster of 16 COVID-19 cases was found to be linked to a hotel takeover party last weekend pushing figures into double digits.