Five new cases, total now 139
Five new Coronavirus cases were reported yesterday, one linked to travelling and four via local transmission, Health Chief Charmaine Gauci said.
The total is now 139, with 32 of them being kept at Mater Dei Hospital and St Thomas Hospital.
Two people are in intensive care, a 61-year-old man who has been under constant watch for a week, while a second man, aged 60, is also in intensive care, Gauci said.
The single case related to travelling is that of a 23-year-old Maltese man, who lives in the UK but returned to Malta on 17 March. He experienced symptoms a day later, and a contact tracing exercise is being carried out to see who were the passengers seated in close proximity to him.
The other four cases reported were locally transmitted, Gauci said.
Another 23-year-old Maltese man, who had been in contact with another person who contracted Coronavirus, has tested positive. He experienced mild symptoms on 16 March but his cough worsened after a few days and he has now tested positive.
A 32-year-old Maltese man tested positive while he was being screened as he entered Mater Dei Hospital for surgery, Gauci said.
An Indian health care worker, aged 30, experienced symptoms on 22 March and has now tested positive. The health authorities are checking patients and colleagues who could have come in contact with him.
The fifth case is of a man from Gambia, aged 23, who has been living in Malta for eight months. He experienced symptoms on 24 March and a contact tracing exercise is being carried out in this case too.
Gauci said that further measures have been introduced to ensure that social distancing is being adhered to. She made reference to the measures announced Thursday, wherein from today, people over the age of 65 and those who have some type of chronic illness should to stay indoors so as to reduce their chances of contracting the disease.
Relatives who live with these individuals are also encouraged to stay at home and telework. Asked if relatives will get quarantine
leave if their job does not allow them to telework, she said that in such cases they are encouraged to find another place of residence so that they can go to work and thus they will not need quarantine leave.
In cases where these vulnerable individuals live alone, Gauci encouraged neighbours and relatives to still keep in contact and help them out in any of their daily needs where needed. She explained that what is important is to limit the amount of contact time, which also applies to any nurses or caregivers who need to frequent the households of these individuals. Therefore, the vulnerable individual should make all the required preparations before the caregiver comes to their house so as to make the visit as short as possible.
On people who need to feed farm animals,
Gauci said that in such cases exceptions will be given so that the individual can go to feed the animals. She explained that an email will be sent out to fill in a form regarding this and those who do not have access to email can use the 111 helpline. A board will evaluate the circumstances and see whether or not that person can be given an exemption.
On the same topic, she explained that with regards to asthmatic patients the quarantine legal notice only applies to those people who are having oral steroids or have been recently admitted with respiratory problems.
Asked for the reason behind the gap between when a person shows symptoms and is announced as positive, Gauci said that in some cases people do not suspect they have the virus and do not approach the health authorities immediately.