[WATCH] COVID-19 new cases skyrocket by 224 in post-Christmas surge • Herd immunity by September, Chris Fearne says

The number of new coronavirus cases registered overnight has skyrocketed by 224, the highest ever for one day, a reflection of the post-Christmas surge.

The latest data released by the Health Ministry shows that one 72-year-old man died yesterday at Mater Dei Hospital after testing positive for COVID-19 on 31 December.

Today's cases are still being investigated. From yesterday's cases 32 were of family members of previously known cases, 10 linked to positive work colleagues, 20 from direct contacts of positive cases and 12 from social gatherings.

There were 80 recoveries overnight, bringing the total number of active cases to 1,845.

The new cases indicate a positivity rate of 6.7% when compared to the number of swab tests carried out in the past 24 hours.

Chris Fearne delivers press briefing

Health Minister Chris Fearne said that by the end of January, Malta would have vaccinated 16,000 people, adding that the health authorities are reserving the second jab for people who would have received their first vaccine.

Fearne said that by the end of May all frontliners, all people in institutions and care homes and all vulnerable people would have been vaccinated. By mid-May, the health authorities will invite the rest of the population to receive the vaccine by appointment.

READ ALSO: Check out Malta’s timeline for the coronavirus vaccination programme

He said that the target was to reach herd immunity by September if only the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are available. Herd immunity could be achieved earlier if other vaccines are authorised for distribution by the European Medicines Authority.

EMA has today given authorisation for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, making it the second such vaccine to be authorised for use in the EU.

Malta has an order of 100,000 vaccines from Moderna. The country has already started rolling out the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which was granted authorisation last month.

Surge in cases

Fearne said the major factors contributing to the latest surge in new cases of COVID-19 were a lack of discipline over the holidays, a natural seasonal phenomenon linked to the colder temperatures and a possibility of the new coronavirus variant that is more infectious.

He said that public health specialists were analysing these factors over the coming days to determine what is the major contributor and possibly lead to further restrictive measures being introduced.

"If the main reason is linked to lack of discipline over the holidays we can expected the numbers to start dropping again after a fortnight, if the reason is seasonality or the new variant, we may have to take additional measures in the coming days to control the spread," Fearne said.

No direction to keep schools shut

Public Health Superintendent Charmaine Gauci, who also addressed the press conference, denied that directions were given to keep schools closed.

"We noted an increase in cases among children and informed the educational authorities. The screening policy at the door will continue being applied rigorously and my appeal to parents is not to send sick children to school," Gauci said, calling for cooperation.