Thirty-eight new COVID-19 cases were reported on Wednesday, while nine people recovered.

Fourteen virus patients were being treated in hospital, including four in intensive care. 

The Superintendent for Public Health, Charmaine Gauci, in comments on Ask Charmaine, told Times of Malta that a slow increase in case numbers was expected, but compared to last year, there were far fewer hospital cases compared to case numbers, thanks to vaccination.

She said that the patients in ITU, although vaccinated, had not had time to take their booster jab, and she appealed to all those invited to do so to accept the invitations. 

The booster jab has so far been given to 64,797 people