Some parents have rushed to school to take their children home over coronavirus fears, the Malta Union of Teachers has said.  

Malta registered its fourth case on Monday evening, a 49-year-old man who was on holiday in the north of Italy at the end of February.  

While the health authorities have continued to encourage people to remain calm as there is no cause for alarm, some parents returned to their children’s schools on Tuesday morning to take them back home, the union said.  

MUT president Marco Bonnici confirmed reports that some parents had changed their minds about allowing their children to go to school and had returned to pick them up on Tuesday morning. 

While he would not say which schools are reporting this, or how many, Bonnici said reports had been coming in from schools all over the island.

Times of Malta has also been contacted with similar reports.

Parents encouraged to remain calm

Bonnici again appealed to people to remain calm, saying that the union was monitoring the situation to be sure of the impact any of the cases might have on the education system. 

The three children involved so far – the 12-year-old patient zero, her sister and the fourth patient’s daughter – had not attended school upon their return from Italy, Bonnici said.

“As was the case with the first girl and her sister, we have again checked attendance records to make sure that the third child also did not go to school. 

“We can confirm that upon her return, she never attended class,” Bonnici said. 

Bonnici said this was not yet the case but reiterated that the union was in constant contact with the health and education authorities. 

Asked about reports some teachers were not turning up to school, Bonnici said he was not aware of any school having no teachers but noted that there were bound to be instances when people are extra careful and opt to stay home. 

Government has officially advised parents to keep their children home from school for 14 days only if they have attended affected countries and regions: China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Italy and Iran.