Eleven new cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus were identified over the past day, bringing Malta’s total number of confirmed cases to 213.

All of the cases discovered on Friday are considered to be of local transmission. Among the new patients are a two-year-old child and a resident of the Ħal Far open centre - the second case there in two days. 

The two-year-old is the youngest COVID-19 patient in Malta. 

Authorities carried out 659 tests over the past day and have conducted 9,703 tests for the virus in total. 

Among the active cases: 

• Three patients are in intensive care
• 10 are being held at Mater Dei’s infectious diseases unit
• Two are at Mount Carmel Hospital 
• Four are at Boffa hospital
• 16 are at St Thomas Hospital
• The rest are recovering at home.

Gauci said that a close look at the data suggested that there was a sustained local transmission of the virus from when cases emerged in Malta. That, she said, informed the decision to declare a public health emergency and backdate it to March 7. 

She confirmed that plans to introduce serological tests are in advanced stage and authorities are currently verifying test kits. 

Serological tests are intended to identify individuals who have developed an antibody to the COVID-19 virus and are therefore immune to it. As the virus spreads, testing for immunity will become increasingly important as it will help inform decisions about when pandemic restrictions can start to be relaxed. 

Case details

Case 1
A 74-year-old Maltese woman who went to hospital on Friday for an issue unrelated to COVID-19. She was tested and found to be positive. 

Case 2 
A 50-year-old Maltese man who reported symptoms on March 25. Two of his family members are now being tested. 

Case 3 
A 46-year-old Maltese man who reported symptoms on April 2. 

Case 4
A two-year-old girl who first exhibited symptoms on April 3. 

Case 5 
A 26-year-old man who lives at the Ħal Far open centre for migrants and asylum seekers. He is not directly related to another Ħal Far open centre resident who tested positive on Thursday, but lives in the same area. Five other people there have been placed in quarantine. 

Case 6 
A 28-year-old foreign woman who lives in Malta. She reported symptoms on April 1. 

Case 7 
A 24-year-old foreign man who lives in Malta. He exhibited symptoms on March 24. Authorities are contact tracing among six of his housemates and conducting a risk assessment of his workplace. 

Case 8 
A 31-year-old male healthcare worker who first exhibited symptoms on April 3. Authorities are contact tracing patients, staff and a flatmate in contact with the person.

Case 9 
A 31-year-old foreign man. 

Case 10 
A 66-year-old Maltese man who was admitted to Mater Dei Hospital with an unrelated condition. He needed an operation and tested positive. 

Case 11 
A 40-year-old Maltese woman who exhibited symptoms on March 28. She was not going to work.