Record cases of COVID-19 expected as doctors’ union warns of ‘significant deterioration’

The COVID-19 situation has deteriorated significantly leading to a sudden and sharp increase in numbers with the tally of new cases expected to reach a new record on Wednesday, the Medical Association of Malta (MAM) said.

In a statement, MAM said that because of the situation, the body’s council had decided to extend its directives and keep them in force until Friday.

Last week the association had issued a number of directives to doctors, that included not attending outpatient appointments at Mater Dei Hospital and not handling elective surgeries. The directives came into force Thursday.

However, on Friday MAM decided to carry out elective surgeries following a discussion with Health Minister Chris Fearne.

MAM said that it will suspend its directives for a week between 15 and 23 August. The association, however, said that unless further measures were taken by cabinet by that date to effectively bring the epidemic under control, it would put them back in force, including the suspension of all elective surges as of 24 August.

MAM said that its directives have been followed by 95% of members making the strike an “organisational success.”

The association highlighted that one health centre doctor had reported positive and another was in quarantine waiting for results of testing.

“Government has up to now reversed the decision on Mass events over 300 people but continues to permit events with numbers up to 300 together with practically minimal and ineffective enforcement, creating ideal conditions for the spread of the virus. The government also appears in a state of denial basing itself on the false premise that hospitalisations are low, where on the contrary scientific shows that a death for every 75 total cases is to be expected with 3-6 weeks of onset,” MAM said.

MAM also noted that three Baltic states, Ireland, Slovenia, Emilia Romagna, Puglia regions in Italy, as well as Greece, have put restrictions on travel to Malta after the US Centre for disease control declared Malta a high-risk area for COVID-19.

On Tuesday 29 cases of COVID-19 were registered, bringing the number of active cases to 440.