Malta's number of COVID-19 cases per capita is now higher than that in hotspots such as Italy and Spain and the country could be at the start of a second wave of infections, public health professionals have said.
The Malta Association of Public Health Medicine said that the coronavirus' local reproduction rate - its R factor - had risen above one in the past week, with an increase in the number of new cases during the first transition phase from the COVID-19 emergency.
“Our number of new cases per capita is higher than that of Italy, Spain, Germany, and France. We may now very well be in the beginning of the second wave,” it said in a statement.
Malta had 103 active COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday morning. Ten days ago, it had just 58. The number of new daily cases identified has been in double digits for four out of the last seven days.
The MAPHM's statement follows another by doctors on Tuesday warning that the situation is not 'as stable as claimed.
The MAPHM said public announcements suggesting that all was well, and that Malta was on track to return to normality very soon are “misleading and dangerous”.
“We must continually renew our commitment to maintain social distancing, avoid unnecessary contacts and trips outdoors and promote the correct use of masks in the community. This needs to be coupled with education and enforcement.”
It urged government and policymakers to ensure that public health principles, epidemiological considerations and a sound evidence base set the pace for the responsible reversal of measures, and their timely reintroduction should the R factor increase again.
While acknowledging the devastating social, economic and mental health consequences of these restrictive measures, things would only get worse if the outbreak gets out of control, it said.
“We should learn from the tragedies unfolding in our neighbouring countries and avoid an overwhelming resurgence of cases.”
Getting it wrong would rapidly overwhelm the capacity of health systems, it said, with negative effects on both COVID-19 patients and patients being treated for other illnesses.
The economy was dependent on a healthy population, the MAPHM said.
“Let us walk this tight rope to a new normal with our heart in the right place continuing to put health first, otherwise the price to pay in lives lost may be dear.”