A bus driver has tested positive for coronavirus, the health authorities have confirmed. 

The patient was one of the 17 cases confirmed on Sunday afternoon, Superintendent of Public Health Charmaine Gauci told Times of Malta. 

Contact tracing had been carried out for the case and found that the person had been in minimal contact with others, Gauci said. 

A source at Malta Public Transport said that the agency had been working closely with the health authorities to contain the case according to their recommendations. 

The source also said that an internal email had been circulated to employees, informing them of the situation and what measures the company had taken in response. 

The email, first reported by The Malta Independent, said that buses identified as having recently been driven by the driver have been removed from service for additional cleaning. Drivers who had driven the same buses were taken out of service and told to stay home. 

The company was also in the process of fumigating its Valletta, Marsa and Floriana offices, the email said. 

As of last week, Malta Public Transport is fumigating buses nightly and having them cleaned rigorously in between shifts. 

From March 12, the company installed perspex barriers between drivers and passengers. The company also issued directives encouraging passengers to make use of travel cards and passengers looking to buy tickets in cash would have to produce exact change to minimise contact between drivers and passengers.