Doctors union: Worst still to come if uncontrolled mass gatherings continue unchecked

With COVID-19 numbers rising at an alarming rate to unprecedented levels as parties and mass events continue to be held, the Maltese union of doctors has suggested that the worst was yet to come as Malta battles a secondary wave of coronavirus cases.

The Medical Association of Malta said data from March to June can mathematically predict about one death every 75 cases within 4-6 weeks of onset.

“The report of cases from a confirmation party brings home the fact that normal social activities including family celebrations present risks just like any other mass gathering of more than 10,” the MAM said.

“An Italian journalist pictured on social media hundreds of people clubbing at Paceville with no masks or social distancing. Many more parties with hundreds of people were held over the weekend all over the island with practically zero presence of law and order or enforcement. Large crowds were also reported on Comino and at Marsaxlokk. The Gozo ferry was jam packed with most people not wearing any masks.

“This is not how to control an epidemic but a perfect example of how to deliberately foment an epidemic when the R factor is about 2.0,” the MAM said.

The association said that cynical arguments about no deaths occurring since June could not justify the promotion of the idea of normality. “Scientific evidence has clearly shown that the peak of intensive care admissions and deaths occurs 3 to 6 weeks after the peak of new cases.  It is unethical not to prevent these deaths amongst elderly and vulnerable people with timely and effective public health measures.”

MAM also condemned press reports that falsely re-assured viewers that Malta had the second lowest number of cases, without correcting the figure per population. “In reality the number of the new cases per day per 1000 population has risen to amongst the highest in Europe prompting the CDC in the US to consider Malta a high risk destination.”