They have been 9 new cases of Covid-19 registered as positive, Supt. of Public Health, Prof Charmaine Gauci, said in Saturday’s briefing. This brings the total number of cases to 73. She said that on Friday the Authorities carried out 233 swab tests.

Prof Gauci said that the 61-year old Maltese man, who was at Mater Dei on Friday after testing positive, and is the first case to experience complications after developing bilateral pneumonia, is now being moved into intensive care.

She added that the “majority” of Covid-19 patients are in good condition and are recovering.

Prof Gauci explained around 20 of the patients have mild symptoms and are able to be treated at home.

She said that the risk of local contagion remains high and again stressed the need for the public listen to the authorities advice and to avoid close contact with others – practice social distancing, as well as stay inside whenever possible.

The nine cases are as follows:

A 21-year old Maltese female university student, she had not travelled abroad, however she has a relative who had returned from England. Her last day at university was 10th of March, and Prof Gauci said that the risk of spreading is minimal.

A 44-year old Somalian who had travelled to Brussels was admitted to Mater Dei on Friday, he had been in quarantine since his return and only had contact with those he lived with.

A 41-year old foreign national who is married to a Maltese woman, she has also tested positive. The man had not been overseas or had contact with anyone who was positive. Prof Gauci said that the source is unclear and contact tracing is now underway.

A 55-year old Maltese man, who again had not been overseas or had contact with anyone who was positive for the virus. He works for a private company and had attended work the day before his symptoms appeared. Contact tracing is underway.

A 25-year Maltese female who lives in the UK and had returned from there in recent days. She went in to mandatory quarantine on her own, her symptoms started on return to Malta, so Prof Gauci said that contact tracing is being carried out for persons from her flight.

A 24-year old Italian woman who lives in Australia, arrived in Malta last week. She went into quarantine upon arrival in Malta and has only had contact with those living in the same residence.

A 49-year old Maltese woman, had not been abroad, however she had contact with someone who had. The woman was found through contact tracing. Prof Gauci said that she works in a school, but had not been there in the period she would have been infective, as schools were already closed.

An Indian national aged 30, unemployed and not travelled overseas. The person had been living with someone who had tested positive and had been abroad. Prof Gauci explained that this is considered as a contained case.

Then the last case is a 68-year old English woman who travelled from London. She had gone in to immediate quarantine with no contact with others.

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