The number of active COVID-19 cases reached 3,000 on Wednesday as health authorities announced that 233 new infections had been detected. 

It is the first time that the number of active virus cases has reached the 3,000 mark, with active cases having steadily risen in the past weeks following several days of high case numbers. 

The authorities also reported a further two deaths overnight. 

The latest victims are an 84-year-old man and an 86-year-old woman who died at Mater Dei and at Gozo hospital respectively. The virus death toll now stands at 321.

The 233 new cases announced on Wednesday were identified from 3,654 swab tests carried out in the past 24 hours.

Authorities said 162 patients recovered overnight. 

Healthcare workers administered 2,246 vaccine doses over the past 24 hours, data indicated, with 727 of those being second doses. 

A total of 84,129 doses have been administered so far. 

Public health chief Charmaine Gauci told Times of Malta that a UK variant of the virus was the biggest factor behind a surge in cases and said that vaccines were being administered as quickly as Malta received doses. 

Gauci was answering readers' questions on the bi-weekly Ask Charmaine show.