Updated 2.10pm with test numbers

There were 786 new COVID-19 cases reported on Friday while an 86-year-old patient died during the past day, health authorities reported.

The latest victim, a woman, became the 485th person to die while COVID-positive in Malta so far. 

Friday's tally of 786 new cases is one of the lowest daily figures reported since case numbers shot up in December. Only January 2 and December 26 - when testing rates dipped due to Christmas and New Year's Day - reported lower daily infection numbers in recent weeks.

Data compiled by public health officials showed that 6611 COVID-19 tests were carried out on Thursday - resulting in a positivity rate of 11.8 per cent. 

A total of 123 COVID patients are currently in hospital while seven are at Mater Dei Hospital's intensive treatment unit. On Thursday, health authorities reported 1,144 new infections, with 114 patients in hospital and five requiring ITU treatment. 

Health ministry data does not specify how many of those hospitalised patients were admitted due to COVID-19 infection, with public health chief Charmaine Gauci having told Times of Malta on Thursday that a "majority" of patients in hospital were admitted for other ailments. 

A total of 888 patients recovered overnight, bringing the number of active cases down to just below 15,000

More than 1.1 million vaccine doses have been administered locally so far, with just over 261, 000 people having already received a booster dose of the vaccine. 

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