[WATCH] COVID-19 briefing: One death and 12 new cases

12 new cases of COVID-19 were registered on Friday, the health ministry has said.

365,902 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered until Thursday. Of which, 115,333 are people who are fully vaccinated.

Total recoveries stand at 29,763, while total cases registered stand at 30,432.

There are 252 active COVID-19 cases.

One death was registered in the last 24 hours—a 95-year-old woman at Mater Dei Hospital.

The total number of deaths is 417.

1,956 swab tests were carried out in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of swabs to 879,997.

COVID-19 briefing 

Public Health Superintendent Charmaine Gauci said that four people were in the ITU at Mater Dei Hospital.  

Other admissions: 6 in infectious diseases unit • 10 in other wards • 2 in Gozo hospital (0 ITU) • 28 in Sir Paul Boffa hospital • 0 in St Thomas hospital •  0 in the Good Samaritan facility • 2 in Mount Carmel Hospital • 1 Karin Grech.

Coverage rates by age

• 60+ = 95% vaccinated
• 50+ = 72% vaccinated
• 40-49 = 59% vaccinated
• 30-39 = 51% registered/vaccinated.

Gauci said there were no positive COVID-19 cases in nursing homes this week. She also said that the vaccine programme was going well.

Gauci said anyone aged over 60 who has yet to be vaccinated should call 145 to receive a vaccine appointment. 

Questions segment 

Gauci said that to travel to Malta, passengers must either have a negative test or have taken both doses of the vaccine. Gauci also noted that countries that remain risky would remain on the red list.

On contact sports for children, Gauci said that for the time being, it is best not to do so because there is exam season, and if one student tested positive, the whole class would have to be quarantined.

On post-secondary educational institutions, Gauci said, for the time being, it would be better to stick to online learning because the transition risk was still high.

Gauci said there are 22 cases of the Brazilian variant.

Regarding when nightclubs would be allowed to reopen, Gauci said they were similar to mass events and would not be allowed to take place in June.

On herd immunity, Gauci said it was calculated based on people with at least one vaccine dose.