[WATCH] New coronavirus cases higher among people aged between 25 and 44

Malta registered two more deaths from coronavirus and 96 new cases over the past 24 hours, Public Health Superintendent Charmaine Gauci said.

Since the start of the pandemic, 166 people have died. The latest cases involved a 75-year-old man who tested positive on 27 November and died at Saint Vincent de Paule residence yesterday, and a 96-year-old male who tested positive on 28 November and died yesterday at Mater Dei Hospital.

There were 87 recoveries overnight, bringing the total number of active cases to 1,879.

Gauci said the prevalence of new cases was high among those aged between 25 and 44. She called for greater vigilence among these people, who are more likely to spread the infection in the community.

There are 186 patients with COVID-19 recovering in hospitals, including 17 who are in intensive therapy.

Patients in hospitals

17 ITU • 7 Infectious Diseases Unit • 36 other wards at Mater Dei • 16 Boffa Hospital • 18 St Thomas Hospital • 7 Karen Grech Hospital • 80 Good Samaritan Hospital • 3 Mt Carmel Hospital • 2 Gozo Hospital

Gauci said the seven-day moving average showed that over the past week Malta registered 98 new cases per day.

There were six homes for the elderly that were still seeing an increase in cases.

She said 87,079 have downloaded the COVID tracing app and 416 people who tested positive had inserted the code to notify people who may have come in contact with them.

Vaccination programme

Gauci said the European Medicines Authority was expected to authorise COVID-19 vaccine use at the end of December. She said the use of the vaccine will initially target elderly in homes and those aged 85 and over, and frontline workers to minimise deaths, hospitalisation and protect the more more vulnerable.

Subsequently, as more vaccines become available, the scope of the programme would be to minimise community transmission.

She called on people to take note of reputable information sources when reading about vaccines. "Malta will be waiting for the European Medicines Agency to give its go-ahead after analysing the safety and efficacy of the vaccine," she said.

Christmas activities

Gauci again reiterated the appeal for people to stick to their respective households during the Christmas period to minimise the risk of transmission.

She also emphasised the importance of proper mask-wearing, regular sanitisation and cleaning of hands and social distancing. Gauci also warned people not to relax during the festive period because it could lead to an outbreak in January.