[WATCH] 185 new COVID-19 cases as public health chief flags sport activity as a growing cluster

Public Health Superintendent Charmaine Gauci is giving a briefing on the latest COVID-19 developments in Malta.

On Friday Malta registered 185 new cases of COVID-19, with the number of active cases now being 2,695. The positive cases constituted 5.6% of all swab tests carried out in the past 24 hours.

The seven-day moving average now stood at 160 new cases per day.

Three deaths were also registered overnight, bringing the death toll to 264. Two men aged 85 and 88, and one woman aged 97 died while being positive with coronavirus.

There are 162 patients being treated for COVID-19 in hospitals.

Hospitalised cases: 16 Mater Dei ITU • 6 Mater Dei Infectious Diseases Unit • 44 MDH other wards • 10 Boffa Hospital • 9 St Thomas Hospital • 13 Karin Grech Rehabilitation Hospital • 43 Good Samaritan Hospital • 10 Mount Carmel Hospital • 11 Gozo General Hospital

Sports organisations and gyms

In her weekly briefing on Friday, Public Health Superintendent Charmaine Gauci said a number of cases were being traced back to gyms and other sport institutions where high-impact physcial activity takes place.

"In these cricumstances heavy breathing disperses more droplets and so increases the risk of transmission, which is why health and safety protocols should continue being observed in these places where sport or gym activity is being done," she said.

Gauci steered clear from saying whether the authorities were considering the temporary closure of football nurseries, gyms, dance studios and theatre lessons, urging these institutions to continue observing safety protocols.

She criticised the street celebrations seen in Hamrun this week following the locality's football team victory against rivals Valletta, calling on people who were present to be on the lookout for any symptoms.

"I can understand that people will want to celebrate but celebrations like those we saw have no place in the midst of a pandemic," she added.

Vaccination programme

Gauci said the vaccination programme was moving ahead as planned. Malta has so far administered 24,680 COVID-19 vaccines, including 2,518 second doses.

She said it was important that people take the second dose 21 days later. "It is important that you stick to the date and time that we give you for both the first and second dose," she added.

People who receive the vaccine must continue adhering to mitigation measures.

Asked about people who would have received their first vaccine dose but tested positive in the waiting period, Gauci said that the second dose will still be administered after the person recovers.