Malta now has the lowest COVID-19 infection and death rates in Europe, after the number of new cases continued to drop in recent weeks.
The details emerged from fresh weekly data issued by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). The report provides an insight into the situation across Europe, with rates worked out from the prior weeks’ figures.
The country's 14-day cases per 100,000 inhabitants rate stands at 25.26. Up until last week, Portugal had the lowest figure. Portugal's infection rate is now almost double that of Malta at 47.82.
Malta has continued to detect few new cases, with hospitalisation rates also plummeting as a result. The island also has the highest vaccination rate in Europe, with around 67 per cent of those eligible for the vaccine given at least one dose.
There has not been a COVID-related death for a fortnight in Malta, one of the longest stretches since the pandemic started in early 2020.
According to the ECDC data, Malta’s death rate is 1.94, which is also the lowest in Europe. With 2.23, Denmark’s death rate is the second lowest.
The rate is expected to continue going down even more in the coming weeks to reflect the lack of fatalities registered over the past few days.
The ECDC data also shed light on the situation with the elderly. Last week, the figures show, only two elderly patients tested positive for the virus - one aged between 65 and 79 and another aged over 80.
The elderly were among the first who were offered the COVID-19 jab when the vaccination roll-out kicked off in December.
Just before the restrictions ordered when Malta started registering record numbers of new cases on March 10, the island's 14-day infection rate stood at 828.47, one of the highest in Europe at the time.
In the wake of the low infection rates, Malta is also continuing to ease COVID-19 restrictions, with restaurants allowed to open until midnight from Monday.
Gyms are also set to reopen their doors on Monday.
The government plans to ease more restrictions in the coming weeks, with bars to reopen on June 7 after being shuttered since October.