18 Covid-19 patients in hospital as vaccine drive extended

18 Covid-19 patients are currently receiving treatment at Mater Dei Hospital, as Malta experiences a small upturn in virus cases owing to the onset of winter, Health Minister, Chris Fearne, told journalists on Wednesday.

Fearne also announced that the age for children who are eligible to be vaccinated against Covid-19, particularly against the still predominant Omicron variant, has been lowered to six months after the European Medicines Agency had authorised one of the available vaccines to be used for children of this age.

Fearne said that the prediction that Covid-19 would likely become a seasonal infection has proven to be true, as the number of cases has started to increase in the past few weeks and months as the weather cooled down.

He said that the current sevenday average stands at around 30 cases of the virus per day. Many of these cases are not severe, but he said that there are still some individuals who require hospital care.

Indeed, he said, 18 people are currently symptomatic for the virus and are receiving care at Mater Dei Hospital. None of these are in intensive care, he added.

The latest statistics issued by health authorities show that Malta currently has 343 active cases of the virus.

The same statistics show that five people have died while testing positive for the virus since Christmas Day, with the most recent death being reported on Wednesday, meaning that the total number of deaths related to the virus registered in Malta currently stands at 818.

Fearne said that the government has been offering another vaccine booster specifically for the Omicron variant since October together with the seasonal influenza vaccine, whilst adding that these remain important for protection.

He said that 110,000 people have been vaccinated with at least one of the influenza vaccine or the Omicron vaccine.

In the meantime, parents may now also take their children, as long as they are over the age of six months, to be vaccinated against the Omicron variant of Covid-19.

Fearne reminded that both vaccinations are available for free, without an appointment, at any health centre between 10am and 6pm.