Seven new cases of COVID-19, four new recoveries

Seven new cases of COVID-19 were recorded on Sunday, Public Health Superintendent Charmaine Gauci said.

The number comes after 1,429 tests were carried out in the last 24 hours.

Four new recoveries were also recorded, with the number of active cases now at 93.

The cases include:

• A 50-year-old Maltese woman who showed no symptoms. She works at a retail outlet, but abided by face mask regulation, with Gauci stating that the risk of transmission is low.
• A 52-year-old foreign man who went to the hospital emergency. He was tested upon his arrival, and has shown no symptoms.
• A 47-year-old foreign man who was admitted to hospital, and was tested before entering. He was asymptomatic. Contact tracing efforts are underway.
• A 50-year-old Maltese man who owns a retail outlet. He went together with his family to be tested. Gauci said he had been wearing a visor, with the rate of transmission very low.
• A 26-year-old woman who works at an elderly home and was tested before entering the premises. She is asymptomatic.
• A 55-year-old Maltese man who was being cared for at the hospital. Despite having tested positive for the virus, his symptoms have remained the same.
• A 32-year-old man who is being cared for at Karin Grech Hospital. He was exhibiting symptoms.

Virus remains in the community

Asked whether health authorities’ appeal on staying home unless necessary still stands, given the PM’s statements on the reopening of restaurants and bars, Gauci said that restrictions are being lifted while keeping measures in place.

“We are in a transition phase and we want to ensure that all measures are in place for those most vulnerable in society,” she said.

She also said that situation when compared to two weeks ago has remained the same, with the spread keeping at the same tangent.

“We have to continue ensuring that the cases of coronavirus in society are kept the same or lower,” she insisted.

The public health superintendent did not answer a question by MaltaToday on whether the names of the retail outlets at which two of today’s positive cases work at.

On whether the vulnerable in society would be allowed to make use of restaurants and hairdressers, Gauci said that the situation was being evaluated and the authorities were seeing how the vulnerable could continue to be protected while going on with their normal life.