The situation at Mater Dei’s emergency department calmed down on Friday a day since the aftermath of a week-long heatwave sent healthcare workers into overdrive. 

Yet, according to Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses (MUMN) president Paul Pace, it will take a week or so until the situation at the hospital normalises. 

"The situation at casualty has calmed down," he told Times of Malta. 

"The cooler weather definitely helped and we did not experience the big influx of people coming to the emergency today as we had in the past week."

Yesterday doctors and nurses told Times of Malta that heatwaves and power cuts left many people struggling to cool themselves in the stifling heat, with the influx of people resulting in a 14-hour wait at the accident and emergency department. Sources said most of the people waiting were elderly and frail patients, with many sitting in wheelchairs or on stretchers. 

At least 11 people died because of heat-related illnesses between Saturday and Tuesday, suffering from symptoms of heat exhaustion and dehydration.

One doctor described casualty as "choc-a-bloc" and the emergency department as "totally overloaded".

The Malta Association of Public Health Medicine also expressed "deep concern" about the "current strain" on healthcare resources. 

While Pace described the situation as calming down, he said it will still take some time for the situation at the hospital to normalise once again. 

"It will take a week, if the temperatures remain as they are now, and do not peak again of course," he said.

He added that there are a number of operations, such as day or minor surgeries which have been postponed. 

"There are no beds available. While today we did not see an influx of people, the staff are still taking care of a number of patients who were admitted over the week."