123 new cases of COVID-19 registered, 105 recoveries

New death regsitered on Friday brings total to 149 

123 new cases of COVID-19 were registered on Friday.

Active cases stand 2,051, after a new death was registered on Friday.

The new death was an 82-year-old man who was confirmed positive on the 21 November. He died at St Vincent De Paul Hospital. Deaths stand at 149.

17 deaths have been registered since the last COVID-19 bulletin.

3,100 swab tests were carried out in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of swabs to 439,477.

105 new recoveries were registered on Friday. Total recoveries stand at 8,120.

The Public Health Superintendent Charmaine Gauci said that the last week’s moving average stood at 113, down from 120 during the previous week.

11 patients are being cared for at the Infectious Disease Unit, 45 in other Mater Dei Wards, 23 at Boffa Hospital, 24 at St Thomas Hospital, 19 at Karen Grech Hospital, 64 at the Good Samaritan facility, three at Mount Carmel Hospital and three are being cared for at the Gozo Hospital.

Charmaine Gauci said the largest cluster was that households at 138 cases, followed by the workplace cluster at 41 and social gatherings at 17.

Only 10 cases were imported this week.

Airport testing has continued Gauci said, reminding that people arriving from amber listed countries have to present a negative test.

On the vaccine, Gauci said the country will be waiting for a go-ahead from the European Medicines Agency.

She said the first goal when the vaccine arrives is that of curbing the rate of COVID-19 deaths in the country.

There are currently 4,168 people in quarantine.

Vaccine

Fielding questions from journalists on the availability of the vaccine, Gauci said licensing is expected to be carried out by the end of the year, with the roll out by the beginning of January.

On side-effects, she said they will be normal side effects experienced when also taking other vaccines, including dizziness and cold symptoms.

The vaccine will not be mandatory, but people who have already had COVID-19 and recovered from it, are to take the vaccine as it provides prolonged immunity.

Last Sunday, Prime Minister Robert Abela said the situation would be returning to normal by next May.

But asked to confirm whether this will happen, Gauci said it depends on a number of factors, including the vaccine roll out and the people’s willingness to get vaccinated.