Malta started the new year with 135 new COVID-19 cases - the highest number of daily cases in more than three weeks. 

A further 57 people recovered, according to data published on Friday. 

In their daily update on Facebook, the health authorities said Malta now has 1,512 active cases of coronavirus. 2,779 swab tests were taken in the past 24 hours.

So far 219 COVID-19 patients have died

The country on Wednesday registered its first three cases of the virus's UK variant, which is 70 per cent more transmissible. One of the three, a 75-year-old woman, is being cared for at hospital but is in a stable condition.

Malta embarked on a COVID-19 vaccination programme on Sunday, but doctors have called on the health authorities to speed up the process.

On Thursday, the government announced that it will allocate €1 million to bar owners and clubs, which are to remain shut until February, to help them in the current challenges, the prime minister announced on Thursday afternoon.

While Friday's cases are still being investigated, out of Thursday's 109 new cases:

  • 36 have been traced to family clusters;
  • 10 have been linked to other positive cases;
  • 14 were traced to the workplace; and 
  • 19 were in social gatherings with other positive cases.

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