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A 72-year-old man who initially tested negative for the coronavirus is now in a critical condition and breathing with the help of a ventilator, Superintendent of Public Health Charmaine Gauci said on Saturday.
The man is one of 10 newly-confirmed coronavirus cases in the past day. Six of those cases are linked to recent trips abroad, with the remaining four considered cases of local transmission.
Authorities carried out 487 COVID-19 swab tests in the past day. Malta has now identified 149 cases of the virus.
Gauci again emphasised the importance of stretching the epidemic over a longer period of time, in order to ensure healthcare systems are not overwhelmed with a spike in cases.
This would require people to adapt to a new way of living for a while, she acknowledged.
"We understand that extending the time means the country can not return to normality. But we have to accept this. It is better to adapt our lifestyles to this new reality, than end up being unable to keep up with patients’ needs for healthcare services,” she said.
She had some advice for family members of vulnerable groups, who have been told to remain home unless absolutely necessary as of today.
- Work from home if possible;
- Keep your distance even while at home;
- Sleep in a separate room than the vulnerable person, unless they need medical attention or help;
- Do not eat together;
- Use a different bathroom to the vulnerable person.
As for the state of the pandemic, Gauci noted that efforts to contain the outbreak were so far having the desired results, as the number of cases was still manageable for the health service to cope with.
Asked why only two persons had healed so far, Gauci noted that the virus takes longer to be completely eliminated from the body of younger patients. In these cases, patients may only exhibit mild symptoms or even none, but still test positive and hence might still pose a risk if they are released from quarantine.
Case details
Case 1
A 72-year-old male who had initially tested negative for COVID-19 after being admitted to hospital on March 26. His health subsequently deteriorated, however, and a CT scan carried out on Friday showed results which indicated COVID-19 infection.
The elderly patient is now in a critical condition and is suffering from bilateral pneumonia. He is intensive care and breathing with the help of a ventilator. He is believed to have contracted the virus through a relative who had previously tested positive following a trip abroad.
Cases 2, 3 and 4
These three people - a 40-year-old woman and two men aged 41 and 47- are all part of the same family from the Philippines. They developed symptoms on March 13. They are linked to a person who travelled back to Malta from the Philippines, who has now been tested for the virus.
Case 5
A 59-year-old man who came to Malta from the UK on March 19, and subsequently began reporting symptoms on March 21. The case is believed to be contained as he was in quarantine from the moment he returned to Malta.
Case 6
A 30-year-old Maltese man who lives abroad. The man came back to Malta from France on March 13. The only symptom he reported was a loss of his sense of smell.
Case 7
A 34-year-old woman who is a healthcare worker with no link to recent overseas travel. She began reporting symptoms on March 26. Authorities are now carrying out contact tracing at both her workplace and home.
Case 8
A 36-year-old man who is the partner of another patient who is infected with COVID-19. His symptoms first appeared on March 22. These cases are not linked to overseas travel.
Cases 9 and 10
Two Indian men aged 36 and 31, who are household contacts of a separate COVID-19 case identified previously. That linked case was traced back to the patient's workplace. They exhibited symptoms on March 23 and March 25.