No new cases of COVID-19 were identified overnight from 987 tests while one further patient recovered from the virus, data released by the Health Ministry on Saturday showed.

The figures mean that there are currently just 12 known active cases of coronavirus in the country.

None of those 12 patients are receiving treatment at Mater Dei Hospital, the ministry said. It is the first time since the virus was detected in Malta in early March that the state hospital is not hosting any coronavirus patients.

St Thomas and Karin Grech hospitals are still caring for one COVID-19 patient each, while four patients are being cared for at Boffa hospital. The remaining six patients are recovering at home.

It is the sixth day in the past 10 with no newly identified COVID-19 cases.

On Friday authorities were faced with one new coronavirus patient, who tested positive for the virus after flying back to Malta aboard a repatriation flight. Public health officials are contact tracing to identify anyone who may be at risk and the Air Malta plane has been sanitised.

Malta has so far identified 672 COVID-19 cases in total from just over 99,000 swab tests. 

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