As of Monday, relatives of COVID-19 victims will have 24 hours to bury their deceased family members, the health authorities said.

Previously, virus victims were buried within hours of being pronounced dead. 

The announcement comes just days after the nurses’ union called for victims of COVID-19 to be buried with dignity, saying laws being enforced dated back to the bubonic plague of the 1500s.

The Health Ministry said that the new, extended period for burial was introduced in line with revised World Health Organization guidelines about burial of COVID-19 victims.

"From now on, relatives of people who die of COVID-19 will be allowed 24 hours to bury their family members. They will also be able to hold a funeral, in churches and other places of worship," it said. 

The ministry added that Malta always followed guidelines issued by WHO and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

In September, a heartbroken woman spoke to Times of Malta following the 15-minute burial of her grandmother. Only 10 family members had been allowed to attend the burial of the 74-year-old victim. In April a man recounted how his father, who had died of coronavirus, was buried within a few hours.

As of Monday, Malta had 43 known COVID-19 deaths, with the most recent victim being a 67-year-old man.