Fourth case of Coronavirus in Malta confirmed by health authorities

• Italian man recently travelled to northern Italy

The fourth case of Coronavirus in Malta was confirmed by the health authorities yesterday evening.

The case involved a foreign man who lives in Malta, and who went on vacation in northern Italy over the past days, the office of the Deputy Prime Minister said in a statement.

The man is in good condition, the ministry added.

The government appealed for calm and responsibility and said there is no cause for alarm.

The first case was confirmed on Saturday morning, when the authorities said a 12-year-old Italian girl who lives in Malta became the first person to get infected with the virus. It was later confirmed that her parents have also caught the virus.

The family had also travelled to northern Italy. Another family who had travelled with them tested negative.

The girl and her parents are in stable condition, health officials said yesterday. Another two people were tested yesterday, but the results came negative, they added. The family had been “exemplary” in following advice and had self-quarantined upon their return to Malta.

No information to this effect was given about the man who tested positive on Monday evening. In other developments, Mater Dei Hospital said yesterday that it was revising visiting hours as a precaution. All visitors will be screened before they enter the hospital, and people were advised to expect queues.

In other news, Malta International Airport said it is expecting a challenging couple of months. It said that, so far, seven airlines have cancelled 278 flights from Italy and other markets.