The rate of new hospital admissions because of COVID-19 has tripled in a week, fresh EU data shows. 

Malta’s weekly new hospital admissions rate went up from 2.3 per 100,000 patients to 6.9 per 100,000, according to the weekly review by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

The Health Ministry told Times of Malta the rate includes all COVID-positive patients admitted to the hospital, with or without the cause being COVID itself.

It said 50 patients are currently hospitalised at Mater Dei, half of whom are non-symptomatic. 

Three, with an average age of 66, are being treated at the intensive therapy unit.

The latest rate, which covers the week ending June 12, is the highest in over a month.

In recent days, the number of daily infections has also peaked again, reaching over 270 on Wednesday. This figure was the highest since April 21.

One in every five tests are positive

With just over 1,000 tests carried out daily, the positivity rate has been climbing, peaking at around 20 per cent on Wednesday. This means that one in every five people who were tested for the virus were found to be infected.

The official figures published by the health authorities do not include those who test for COVID-19 using home kits.

Health Minister Chris Fearne last week said a new variation of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 has been detected in Malta and has caused an increase in community transmission of the disease. But, according to Fearne, the variant was not causing an increase in severe symptoms or complications. 

A review of infection rates in the different age groups showed that the 65- to 79-year-olds registered the highest number of cases in the week under review, with 360.2 cases detected per 100,000 people.

Those in the 25 to 49 group followed, with a rate of 335.5 cases per 100,000.

The lowest rate – 183.2 cases per 100,000 people – was detected among children aged 15 and younger.