A 71-year-old man who has died at Mater Dei Hospital is being considered as having succumbed to COVID-19 because of his symptoms, even though he tested negative after initially testing positive, the Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

The man, who had other medical conditions, was admitted to hospital on September 8 and tested positive on September 21. 

His tests resulted negative in the last few days but in view of the symptoms related to the virus this is still being considered as a COVID-19 case, the ministry said. 

In all 44 people have died with COVID-19 since the virus hit Malta seven months ago.

Malta's death rate over the last two weeks remains among the highest in Europe according to the European Centre of Disease Control statistics, updated daily. 

As of Monday, the country had 2.4 deaths per 100,000 people, which puts it second to Romania, Spain, and Czechia whose death rate is 3.6.

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