Forty-two new COVID-19 cases and 43 recoveries were recorded between Wednesday and Thursday, the health authorities said on social media. 

This brings the number of active coronavirus cases in Malta at 12.30pm on Thursday to 387.

The health authorities said in their daily update that 1,957 tests were carried out, meaning a total of 209,142 swabs have been taken over the past six months.

So far, 14 deaths have been linked to COVID-19 in Malta. Authorities on Wednesday denied World Health Organisation data that a 15th person had died of the virus.

Malta's total number of cases per 100,000 population is 74.6, the fifth-highest in the EU, according to the European Centre of Disease Control’s daily list.

EU member states including Malta are expecting the first delivery of a potential COVID-19 vaccine in December, conditional to the success of late-stage trials.

Although trials for that vaccine, by AstraZeneca, have been paused after a trial participant fell ill, the first delivery of a COVID-19 vaccine is still expected in Malta in December, virologist Chris Barbara reassured on Thursday.

From Wednesday’s cases

• 18 were from a cluster in a construction company;

• Five were relatives of previously known cases;

• Three cases were traced to the workplace;

• One was a direct contact of a positive case;

• Two cases were imported; and

• 10 cases were from different homes for the elderly.

No information was given about the other cases.

Thursday’s cases are still being investigated.

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