The House of Representatives will hold a debate on the current COVID-19 situation on Thursday morning.

It follows an opposition request at the start of Wednesday's sitting for the debate to be held urgently in view of the record number of new cases announced earlier in the day. 

Opposition leader Bernard Grech made the request in terms of parliament’s Standing Order 13 as a ‘definite matter of urgent public importance’.

Grech said the current virus situation was ‘alarming’.

The country had registered 510 new COVID-19 cases in a day and there were more than 3,100 active cases.

The situation was so serious that a fifth ITU has been opened at the hospital, he said.

This was a situation which should be addressed immediately and decisively by the authorities, he said.

Replying, the prime minister said the government had held talks all day with the health authorities and would announce more measures to protect public health.

He said the government was not perfect but it had no sat on the fence or politicised the situation as the opposition had done. 

Abela said a debate could be held in the House on Thursday morning.

The Speaker in a ruling later said that owing to the measures which were being announced by the government, the debate could be held at the next available opportunity, which was Thursday morning.