Coronavirus: Gozo Channel ships to be disinfected, people should avoid unnecessary trips

Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri urges people to avoid unnecessary Gozo Channel trips, ships will be disinfected every night

Gozo Channel vessels will be disinfected every night in a bid to stop the spread of Covid-19
Gozo Channel vessels will be disinfected every night in a bid to stop the spread of Covid-19

As from today, all Gozo Channel vessel will be disinfected every night, the Gozo Minister has said.

Clint Camilleri said the ships would be disinfected with hospital-grade disinfectant, in a bid to stop the spread of novel coronavirus.

The minister advised that this process might affect journeys’ punctuality, especially those scheduled for 11:30pm to 12:30pm.

Camilleri urged people to avoid trips on the Gozo Channel which were not needed. “Those who don’t have to use the ship shouldn’t,” he said.

He said that all is being done to avoid the virus - nine cases of which have been registered in Malta so far - from arriving in Gozo.

For the time being, however, if a person in Gozo is tested positive, they will be transported to Malta on a Gozo Channel ship for treatment, he said. This will be done in a way which is secure for the patient, Gozo Channel employees and other passengers, he said.

Gozo Channel is also ready to use a specially chartered ship to transport a patient alone with medics in an ambulance, but with no other passengers on board, Camilleri said. This would be done to reduce risk and any alarm amongst the public.

If the number of Covid-19 positive cases increases, patients might also need to start being treated in Gozo, he said. In this regard, Gozo General Hospital had increased its number of isolation beds.