The number of known COVID-19 cases continued to decrease on Monday, when 21 people tested positive to the virus overnight.

Another 32 people, rescued at sea over the past few days, also tested positive. 

Migrants are automatically kept in quarantine upon their disembarkation, and Malta does not include migrant positive cases in its official data, following approval from the European Centre for Disease Control.

In a statement on Facebook, the health authorities said on Monday that 87 people have recovered over the past day, meaning that the total number of active cases stood at 471 as of 12.30pm on Monday. 

A total of 2,040 tests were carried out between Sunday and Monday, bringing up the total number of tests since March to 190,593.

The number of new cases has gradually decreased over the past few days, with 27 detected on Saturday and another 15 on Sunday.

Sunday case details

New cases announced on Monday are still being investigated.

Of Sunday's 15 cases, four were traced to the workplace and another four to social gatherings. Two were family members of previously known cases and another two were direct contacts of a known patient. 

Over the weekend two people died while infected with the virus: an 86-year-old man passed away on Sunday and an 86-year-old woman died on Saturday. 

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It was announced on Monday that the long-awaited health protocols on the reopening of schools in September will be published after a meeting that Malta’s health and education authorities will be holding with the World Health Organisation.

Parents and educators are eagerly awaiting the publication of the protocols ahead of the reopening of schools after the Education Minister said that the guidelines would be made public within days.