Updated 12.35pm

Health authorities detected no new COVID-19 cases for the third time this week on Saturday, with the number of active virus cases falling to 29 after three patients recovered overnight. 

It was the third time this week and fourth time in the past seven days that no new virus cases were recorded. The positive news was broken by deputy prime minister Chris Fearne earlier on Saturday. 

Fearne gave advance notice that no new virus cases were detected while speaking on ONE radio, adding that 80 per cent of adult residents will have received at least one vaccine doses by Sunday. 

The number of COVID-related deaths remained unchanged at 420. 

There are currently no virus patients in hospital, with hospitalisation rates having dropped precipitously since Malta’s vaccination programme kicked into gear. 

More than 5,500 vaccine doses were administered on Friday, data indicated. So far, 282,709 people have been fully vaccinated while 350,092 vaccines were administered as first doses. 

Malta reached its EU-established target of vaccinating at least 70 per cent of adults in late May, with Fearne having declared at the time that Malta had achieved “herd immunity”. 

It is now expected to have vaccinated 80 per cent of adults with at least one dose on Sunday, with around two-thirds of adults – more than 282,000 people - fully vaccinated. 
 
Vaccination is currently open to any resident aged 16 and over, with registration available online or via SMS. Authorities are expected to start vaccinating children aged 12 and up during the summer months, once examinations are over.