A further 1,353 people tested positive for COVID between Wednesday and Thursday, marking another record of daily virus cases.

Just 24 hours earlier, a total of 1,337 new COVID-19 infections were reported.

The number of COVID patients in hospital also increased from 82 to 94 overnight, however, the number of people in ITU remained unchanged at six.

No deaths were reported overnight, while another 172 people recovered, according to health data published on the Facebook page sahha.

This means that right now there are 10,137 known COVID cases in the country.

Times of Malta calculated on Tuesday that at least 20,000 people – and more likely close to 30,000  –  are currently in quarantine, as the country experiences a massive spike in virus infections.

On Wednesday, Health Minister Chris Fearne announced that people who test positive for COVID-19 will only have to quarantine for 10 days as of Monday provided that they have received a booster vaccine dose and have displayed no symptoms for the last three days of their isolation period.

Earlier on Thursday, he thanked PN MPs Mario Galea and Maria Deguara for supporting the government's vaccination campaign.

According to health authorities' data, 213,816 people have received a booster jab so far, while 1,060,424  doses in all have been administered over the past year.

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