COVID-19 has been contained at the Ħal Far Open Centre, until recently Malta’s hotspot of the pandemic. 

Superintendent of Public Health Charmaine Gauci confirmed at her daily press briefing that a total of 389 tests have been carried out among migrants, both those with symptoms and some selected randomly.

While 43 residents have tested positive for the virus, no positive cases have been confirmed since 20th April.

“Our work, along with Red Cross, has borne fruit and the situation is under control,” Gauci said.

The Ħal Far open centre, home to around 1,000 migrants, has been under quarantine since 5th April, initially for a two week period which was later extended.

Gauci said the quarantine will remain in place for two weeks following the most recent case, which means it will be lifted in a week’s time if no more COVID-19 cases are confirmed.

Malta confirmed two new cases of COVID-19 today and two new recoveries, bringing the total number of active cases down to 160.