‘It is not scary, just new’ health authorities say as people flood supermarkets

• No cases of coronavirus in Malta by Tuesday evening

People yesterday flooded into supermarkets, emptying shelves and buying in bulk as fears over the coronavirus increased. As of yesterday evening, however, there was no confirmed case of the virus in the country.

A passenger who had landed in Malta on a flight from Bergamo in Italy was tested for the virus after showing symptoms of a fever, but authorities said that the person tested negative.

News broke that an Italian tourist from Bergamo on vacation in Palermo tested positive for the virus – the first case detected in Sicily. This was the main cause for the increased concern in Malta, given the proximity of Sicily from Malta.

Health authorities held a meeting with the press to outline what is being done about the situation, and stressed that precautions are being taken.

During the media briefing yesterday, the Maltese health authorities emphasised that the people dying from the virus abroad often have other problems which cause the virus to replicate faster. “It is not scary, it is just new,” they said, adding that precautionary measures being taken at the airport were also being introduced at ports.

Head of the Department of Infection Control at Mater Dei Hospital Michael Borg said that masks are not necessary unless one is at the hospital. He added that the most important thing is that people wash their hands.

At the same time, operations at the Malta Freeport were also affected, as doctors refused to board container vessels berthed in order to clear them. Cargo handlers had to stop working as they are instructed by their unions not to board any vessels before they are cleared by a doctor.

Concern regarding the preparedness of medical staff was also brought into question yesterday, as Paul Pace, president of The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses (MUMN), said that nurses have not been given any form of preparation or drilling in case a patient tests positive for the coronavirus. Health officials said, however, that this was not true, and that over 350 staff members so far have received training to deal with possible cases.

Many supermarkets yesterday had to deal with a rush of customers stocking up on food and drink as concern over the possible spread of coronavirus COVID19. Although no cases have been reported in Malta, reports that the disease has arrived in nearby Sicily have prompted a rush to get prepared.

Yesterday morning, people went to supermarkets and bought all they could find, mostly preserved food and long-life products, perhaps thinking that a time will come when they will be confined to their own residences.

Many shelves ended up ransacked by customers, leaving them empty as supermarkets struggled to keep up with the influx of people as well as to replenish the shelves.

Such a situation also occurred when fears of bird flu was prevalent among the Maltese more than a decade ago.

Some roads leading to popular supermarkets also heavy, slowmoving traffic.