[WATCH] Coronavirus patients are stable, no new cases recorded so far

The three patients recovering from coronavirus at Mater Dei Hospital are in a stable condition and doing well, health officials have said.

Virologist Christopher Barbara said no new cases of Covid-19 have been recorded so far. "Two tests carried out this morning on suspect cases resulted negative," he said.

Asked whether the contact tracing of passengers who travelled with the three patients was complete, Barbara said that all tests on these passengers resulted negative.

Officials said the protective clothing provided to nurses and doctors at the hospital was adequate for the risks involved. 

The nurses union, MUMN, said on Monday morning that the protective clothing provided by the health authorities was not enough and that its members would not treat Covid-19 patients unless they were provided with 360-degree coveralls.

However, Professor Michael Borg, Head of the Infectious Diseases Unit, said that such coveralls were burdensome and unrequired to deal with the epidemic.

"With regards to suspected coronavirus cases, patients are always stopped on their way to the ITU and the health centres and clinics. Doctors and nurses ask them a serious of questions in relation to their recent travels and a protocol will start operating if a case is suspected. The patient would not go through the normal channels," Borg said.

At a press conference outside the IDU, doctors told MaltaToday that Malta was following the WHO and CDC protocols and the government's guide on whether flights should be cancelled. While individual airlines were free to cancel their flights, the Maltese government was following the protocol followed by other EU countries, they said.

On Monday morning, Air Malta announced that it would be cancelling all flights to Milan.

Malta Air, the Ryanair subsidiary, followed suit later in the day by suspending flights to Bergamo and Treviso.