Woman, 96, is fourth coronavirus patient to die

A 96-year-old woman on Saturday became the fourth coronavirus patient to die in Malta. 

The woman died overnight in hospital, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

She developed complications while undergoing treatment at Mater Dei Hospital, after testing positive for the virus on April 16. 

Authorities offered the woman’s family their condolences and urged people to follow public health guidelines to keep COVID-19 contained. 

Malta registered its first coronavirus death on 8 April, when a 92-year-old woman became the first virus casualty. A second patient, aged 79, died the next day. An 84-year-old man became the third casualty on April 11.

447 COVID-19 cases have been identified so far. Four patients have died, 223 have recovered and 220 are still infected.