Updated 6.40pm with second case

A second coronavirus case of the day has been detected, following the end of an eight-day streak during which no new COVID-19 cases were reported.

A migrant who was among a group of 63 rescued and brought ashore on Friday tested positive upon arrival, a health ministry spokesperson told Times of Malta. 

The other 62 people on board all tested negative and are now quarantining in reception centres. They will be re-tested next week. The individual who tested positive was admitted to Sir Paul Boffa Hospital for treatment. 

The second case was set to be announced on Sunday. 

Earlier, health authorities announced a single new case detected between Friday and Saturday. A total of 848 swab tests were carried out. 

Health authorities said the case concerns a person who returned to Malta from overseas and began experiencing symptoms some days later. Contact tracing is under way.

Malta now has five known active cases of the virus, with 676 people having been infected since the virus was first detected in the country in March.

662 of those patients have since recovered while nine have died. 

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