Greece and Slovenia have become the latest countries to put restrictions on travellers from Malta because of the surge of coronavirus cases on the island.
Slovenia moved Malta from its green list to its yellow list, meaning arrivals will now have to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine.
There are no direct flights between the two countries but the move means Malta is no longer considered an epidemiologically safe country by the Slovenian government, joining the Czech Republic, Switzerland and parts of Spain, which have also been struck off its green list, according to the country’s interior ministry.
And from Wednesday at 1am, passengers on flights from Malta to Greece will be required to have a test for COVID-19, performed up to 72 hours before their entry.
Only those who carry a certificate of a negative test result will be allowed to enter the country, unless the passenger is a Greek citizen or resident.
The island has already been taken off the safe lists of Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia – all of which advise against non-essential travel and enforce self-isolation for visitors.
In the case of Lithuania, travellers from Malta will no longer be allowed to enter the country due to the rise in cases on the island.
Exempt from quarantine are Slovenian citizens and residents, who are travelling from the countries on the yellow list, if they prove they are not returning from countries with an epidemiologically high risk of COVID-19 infection (the red list).
The decision of the Slovenian government to remove Malta was taken on the basis of “expert assessment” for the containment and control of the COVID-19 epidemic. Belgium has been added to its red list.
Italy considers rapid tests
Meanwhile, rapid tests in Italian airports for tourists who return from Greece and Spain could be extended to Malta, according to the Corriere della Sera.
Alarm bells are ringing because the number of new cases returning from holiday, in particular from Spain, Greece, Malta and Croatia, continues to rise, Italy’s leading newspaper reported, with the ferragosto week considered the most dangerous for the spread of COVID-19.
Controls at ports, airports, train stations and borders are ready, it said, adding that passengers would have to take the test as soon as they disembark and await the result.
As cases continue to rise, countries are taking stock of the situation and Italy is considering whether to extend its list of destinations, re-entry from which would require mandatory quarantine.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have also recommended against all non-essential travel to Malta, although the US is currently not on Malta’s safe list.
Rise in coronavirus cases
Over the past couple of weeks, Malta has seen a dramatic increase in new COVID-19 cases, rising up the ladder of European countries for the number per every 100,000 people.
Things changed drastically as the country allowed mass gatherings to be held and the virus started to spiral – a move that has been considered too soon in hindsight by the hotel lobby, though neither the Tourism Ministry nor the government have as yet admitted to this.
Four international music festivals, mainly aimed at thousands of British revellers, were recently cancelled due to pressure from all quarters and industrial action by medics.
The plan for the mass events backfired, seeing the country go from boasting it could host these due to its good coronavirus situation to highlighting that they were cancelled because of COVID-19.