Malta is one of only two EU countries classified by the bloc's disease agency as "of very low concern" for COVID-19, bucking the trend of soaring infection rates across Europe.

In its weekly update, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) downgraded Malta and Spain from countries of "low concern" to "very low concern". 

The assessment is based on case numbers, positivity rate, case rates among the over 65s, hospital admissions and death rates. It reflects the COVID-19 situation from the week beginning October 18.

Four countries -  Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania - are categorised being of "very high concern". 

Twelve EU countries were classified as "high concern", a move that comes as Europe continues to deal with a spike in infections. They are Belgium, Croatia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. 

Ten others were placed in the "moderate concern" category while a further two member states, Italy and Sweden, were deemed as being of "low concern".

"ECDC's assessment of each country's epidemiological situation is based on a composite score based on the absolute value and trend of five weekly COVID-19 epidemiological indicators," the disease control agency said.

Malta's cases per 100,000 people rate is also the lowest, according to ECDC data for the period between October 20 and Wednesday and stands at 50.65 The island's death rate, at 6.08, is the fourth-lowest in Europe.

Despite the country's rates being among the best in Europe, the number of new cases has been on an upward trend in recent days, peaking at 37 infections on Thursday. Hospital numbers, on the other hand, have continued to dwindle with just eight patients currently at Mater Dei hospital, with four in intensive care. 

The rising number of cases of COVID-19 in Europe was described as being of "grave concern" by the World Health Organisation on Thursday. The region could see another half a million deaths by early next year, it predicted.