Record 106 COVID-19 cases registered overnight, with increase in elderly home clusters

A total of 106 new COVID-19 cases have been detected overnight.

This is the highest-ever figure registered in Malta since the start of the pandemic.

The second-highest was on Sunday when 78 cases were registered in just a 24 hour period. Notably many of the cases were from elderly care homes and family gatherings. 

With only 22 new recoveries, this has brought total active cases up to 591. 

On Tuesday 48 COVID-19 cases were registered, with the total number of active cases being 507.

So far, 221,162 swab tests have been conducted on the island, with 2.470 carried out in the past 24 hours.

UPE calls for closure of schools

In light of increasing COVID-19 cases, the Union of Professional Educators - Voice of the Workers is formally requesting the Prime Minister to consider closing schools and reverting to online lessons. 

"The situation is unsustainable and with the opening of schools on the 28th of September 2020, the number of cases will defiantly increase to unsustainable numbers thus putting a burden on our health care system," wrote UPE head Graham Sansone.