Malta registers upward trend in COVID cases: three deaths, 83 hospitalisations in past month

Malta recorded three deaths and 83 hospitalisations due to COVID-19, a health ministry spokesperson has confirmed with this newspaper.

The spokesperson said there were 232 notified cases of COVID-19 in the past four weeks, but no hospitalised patients were admitted to the ICU.

He said Malta has registered an upward trend since mid-May, but stated that it reflects what is happening in the rest of Europe.

Asked if there was a new variant of the disease going around, the spokesperson said there isn’t.

“The dominant variants circulating are KP,KS and JN which are mutations of Omicron BA.2.86,” the spokesperson said.

The precautions being applied at Mater Dei Hospital over the rise in cases are those applicable to transmissible respiratory infections such as influenza.

“Persons admitted with symptoms suggestive of respiratory infection are tested through a respiratory screen and positive cases are isolated in line with ECDC protocols,” the spokesperson said.