Coronavirus: Police start mandatory quarantine spot checks

The police has started carrying out spot checks on people who travelled to Malta and have to observe mandatory quarantine.

The legal notice enforcing the obligatory quarantine period was published last night, with the police empowered to issue €1,000 fines for every breach of quarantine.

The order issued by the Public Health Superintendent empowers the police to verify whether a person is obeying the quarantine.

The fine will apply for each and every occasion that the quarantine period is breached.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Robert Abela said that with immediate effect the 14-day obligatory quarantine would be extended to all visitors coming to Malta by air or sea.

The spot checks are being carried out by the Administrative Law Enforcement (ALE) branch of the police force, Home Affairs minister Byron Camilleri said on Facebook on Friday evening.

The police are being aided by health inspectorate workers and Civil Protection Department officers.

Camilleri also said that Armed Forces of Malta soldiers will in the coming hours start to help health authorities deliver food supplies to people in quarantine

A helpline exclusively for use by people in quarantine has been set up, and can be reached on (+356) 21 411 411.