An 89-year-old man has become Malta’s 13th COVID-19 victim. 

The man was released from hospital earlier on Tuesday, where he had been receiving care in isolation since August 23.

The Health Ministry said in a statement that the man had been admitted to hospital for various health conditions.

He tested negative to COVID-19 when swabbed upon admission but was nevertheless kept in isolation because he had come in contact with a positive person while in the community.

The man was released from hospital on Tuesday not showing any symptoms.

But his condition rapidly deteriorated in the subsequent hours and he was admitted to the Emergency Department, where he was tested and found to be COVID-19 positive. He died in hospital shortly after.

He is the third person to die while infected with COVID-19 since Saturday, and the 13th coronavirus fatality in Malta overall. Malta registered 26 new COVID-19 cases and 53 recoveries on Tuesday. The number of active cases is now 444.

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