A total of 143 people tested positive for COVID overnight,  health authorities said on Friday, while three patients died and a further 201 people recovered from the virus.

The numbers released mean that there were 2,740 active virus cases in Malta as of 12.30pm on Friday.  

Three virus patients - women aged 92, 93 and 100 - died between Thursday and Friday while infected. The victims died at Mater Dei Hospital, Karin Grech Hospital and the Good Samaritan long-term care facility respectively.  

A total of 248 people have died while infected with COVID-19 so far. 

New cases announced on Friday were detected from 3,111 swab tests, meaning 4.6 per cent of tests administered over the past day were positive. 

Just over 1,200 vaccine doses were administered over the past 24 hours, the statistics released by the Health Ministry indicated. 

Details about the new cases as well as the current COVID-19 situation within hospitals are expected to be provided by Superintendent for Public Health Charmaine Gauci during her weekly update.

Earlier on Friday, the doctors' union called for a weekend curfew and stronger enforcement as it sounded the alarm over the flow of COVID-19 patients to Mater Dei Hospital. 

The Medical Association of Malta said it was "seriously preoccupied" with the "persistently high number" of daily coronavirus cases, averaging more than 150 a day. 

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