[WATCH] 3 new COVID-19 cases, no dates yet for opening of childcare facilities

Malta has 65 active cases of COVID-19, according to information given on Friday by Public Health Superintendent Charmaine Gauci.

Overnight testing recorded three new cases of coronavirus from 1,137 swab tests. Gauci said six more people had recovered.

The new cases include a 27 year-old woman and her son, who tested positive whilst already in quarantine because of prior contact with an infected person. As they were already in quarantine, they had not been in contact with anyone else. 

The third new case was a man aged 34 from Gozo who was asymptomatic. He tested positive during a series of tests carried out on workers in several essential workplaces. He had been going to work but had no contact with other persons.

Since the start of the pandemic, Malta registered 489 cases of coronavirus, including five deaths. In total, 419 persons had recovered from the illness.

Prof. Gauci said that so far, 34,454 persons had used the web-based diagnostic tool. This symptom checker is available on www.covid19check.gov.mt. The online assessment does not take down personal details or log user IP addresses or locations and is completely confidential, Gauci said.

She also emphasied the importance of continuing to follow recommended prevention measures. These include regular washing of hands with soap and water, not touching one’s face and practising social distancing. It was important to keep 2m away from other people and to avoid crowded areas said the professor. 

Those experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 should call 111 for testing, she reminded.

She appealed to the public to take care of its health and help the government control the situation. “Unfortunately some people are not understanding the importance of quarantine and are being fined. We are doing this to protect our country from the spread of the virus. So please protect each other.”

Taking questions from journalists, Prof. Gauci clarified that children under 3 years of age are exempt from the obligation to wear face masks. 

Prof. Gauci also refused to be drawn on dates for the opening of childcare centres, saying that any relaxation of restrictive measures in place would be announced in due course.