A 72-year-old Maltese man suffering from the COVID-19 coronavirus is in critical condition and has been put on a ventilator, Superintendent for Public Health Charmaine Gauci has confirmed.

The man, who is in Mater Dei’s ITU under specialist care, is currently suffering from bilateral pneumonia, a severe symptom of the virus.

He is believed to have contracted the virus from a relative, who had recently tested positive upon returning from abroad.

The first test on the patient had actually tested negative on 26th March, before his health deteriorated. A CT scan uncovered the virus.

The total number of cases is now 149 after 10 new patients were confirmed today. Only two persons have healed.

A ventilator is a machine that helps a person breathe by getting oxygen into the lungs and removing carbon dioxide.

It’s crucial in fighting lung disease or other conditions that make breathing difficult, like serious cases of COVID-19. A shortage of ventilators will put lives at risk.

Malta has 120 ventilators in stock, Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne has confirmed. However, through an EU joint procurement scheme, the government should be getting 100 more.