Malta has announced 283 new COVID-19 cases and four more deaths, as restrictions begin to curb the virus and ease pressure on health services.

The figures are a drop from Wednesday, when a record number of people - 510 - were detected to be carrying the virus.

All the victims died at Mater Dei Hospital: they are three men, aged 79, 72 and 60 and a woman, aged 80. 

The new cases come from a record 4,746 tests administered, resulting in a virus positivity rate of 5.96 per cent. 

Meanwhile, another 338 people recovered from the virus, meaning Malta has 3,123 active COVID-19 cases.

So far, 108,971 vaccine jabs have been administered, 36,246 of which are second doses.

Recent high numbers have led to a month-long shutdown being declared on Wednesday with schools and services being closed and travel to Gozo being reduced to the essential.

The UK variant of the virus now accounts for almost 61 per cent of all new COVID-19 cases in Malta.

Addressing Parliament on Thursday, Prime Minister Robert Abela insisted all his COVID-19 decisions were 'guided by scientific evidence'.

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