The head of the civil service has warned government departments to keep teleworking in place after an MEP claimed some staff were being ordered back to their desks despite a rise in COVID-19 cases.

In a tweet, Labour MEP Alfred Sant said he had been informed certain government departments were asking their staff to return to their workplaces from Monday.

He said such a move was "incomprehensible", particularly after a more infectious strain of the virus was found in Malta last week. 

"So does it make sense to bring all employees together again in the same space as of now?" he asked. "Why do governments give so frequently the impression that the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing?"

He did not say what departments were asked to return to their desks.

However, Principle Permanent Secretary Mario Cutajar insisted government policy has not changed.

"There is no change in the direction given months ago by this office that whenever teleworking is possible requests from employees should be approved given the current circumstances," he told Times of Malta.

"I have no knowledge of any government department which has directed its employees to forego teleworking and return to their offices. Any direction which runs contrary to that given by this office would surely be overruled."

Health Authorities continue to recommend that, where possible, workplaces continue teleworking to reduce contact with people and curb the spread of the coronavirus. 

In September, Cutajar provided details for an investment in modernising the workplace, which included improving technological connectivity and training of staff to adopt to remote working.

He had stated that 2,000 workers had transitioned to working from home.