Malta currently has the highest COVID-19 death rate in the EU, according to figures from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). 

In its latest weekly report covering the 14-day period ending on July 10, Malta's death rate stood at 36.8 deaths per one million people.

This was the highest rate of all EU member states. With a rate of 27.9 deaths per one million people, Greece had the second-highest COVID mortality rate. 

According to the health authorities' daily tally, there was one death registered overnight on Wednesday, another four on Tuesday and one on Monday. 

Malta's rate is the highest since the first week of May when it was marginally higher at around 40 deaths per one million. The spike in deaths comes around two weeks since an increase in the number of cases in the community was registered.

Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, spikes in deaths have often been detected some two weeks after increases in community cases.

Positivity rate rises to national record

Meanwhile, the ECDC report also shows Malta's positivity rate is also among the highest in Europe, at 40.6 per cent. Only Hungary, Luxembourg and the Netherlands have rates that are higher. 

The positivity rate, which doubled in a week, is the highest ever detected since the pandemic hit Malta in March 2020 and has been on an upward trend for weeks. 

The rate, which ECDC works out using official data supplied by the health authorities, does not include those testing positive using home test kits, suggesting the figure could actually be even higher. 

Earlier in July, the number of new cases detected daily spiked, with hundreds of new cases registered daily. According to employers, the spike disrupted business operations and forced some to reintroduce mitigation measures. 

However, on Monday, the daily number of new cases dropped below 200 for the first time in a month.