Superintendent of Public Health Charmaine Gauci is by far the most trusted of the public officials providing updates and information on the COVID-19 outbreak, a survey commissioned by Times of Malta has found. 

The survey found that 92% of the Maltese trust Gauci to deliver reliable and accurate information on the virus and how to contain it. 

Health Minister Chris Fearne, a surgeon and deputy prime minister, also scores high, with a trust rating of 82%. 

Prime Minister Robert Abela, a lawyer, was significantly less trusted when it comes to giving information on the virus, with 60% saying they believed him. 

Gauci, Fearne, and Abela have been addressing regular joint press conferences with updates on measures to contain the virus. 

Those aged 35 to 44 giving her the highest approval

Gauci has become a household name after giving weeks of practically daily updates on the number of confirmed active, cured, and deceased coronavirus patients. 

The trust figures emerge from a Times of Malta survey carried out by EMCS, an advisory and market research firm, between Monday and Friday among 495 respondents. It has a margin of error of 4.3%. 

The survey is the latest in a series being conducted on behalf of Times of Malta. 

A closer look at the figures shows that Gauci enjoys more than 90% trust across all age groups, with those aged 35 to 44 giving her the highest approval rating (96%). 

Fearne is trusted by 85% of those aged 18 to 24, 35 to 44, and 45 to 54. His lowest trust rating, 77%, is among pensioners. 

Abela, on the other hand, is least trusted by 25 to 34-year-olds (51%). His highest trust rating, 69%, is from 55 to 64-year olds. 

In press conferences, Fearne has come across as the more cautious of the two leaders in the fight against coronavirus.