Malta’s COVID-19 reproduction number now stands at 1.50

Malta’s COVID-19 reproduction number now stands at 1.50 after the number of cases found in the past week increased, statistician Vincent Marmara told The Malta Independent on Sunday in his exclusive weekly video blog on the COVID-19 situation in Malta.

The reproduction factor of the virus is one of the key figures which countries across the world have been trying to reduce ever since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The aim for countries has been to reduce the ratio to a level of 1 – which would mean that one person would transmit the virus to one other person.

The reproduction number is based on a variety of factors, such as the source of new cases – for instance, whether they are imported or whether they are part of particular clusters – and the amount of testing being carried out.

Marmara explained that following an increase in cases last week when compared to the week prior, the r-factor has increased to 1.50.

The number of cases found in the past week is 951 – an increase over the 684 found in the week prior, and very much in the same ball-park as the 976 cases – which is a record high – found two weeks ago.

Marmara’s figures however show that after an increase in testing over the past week, the number of positive cases when compared to the number of tests stands at 4.2% – still a whole percentage point higher than last week – but also almost a percentage point less than two weeks ago, when the same figure stood at 5.1%.

Unfortunately, the past week saw 12 deaths related to COVID19 – which is a joint record high since the pandemic began, and which continues on with the 12 deaths registered the week before last.

Delving into some details about the situation overseas, Marmara noted how the situation had continued to deteriorate in a number of major European countries.

In France, for instance, the number of cases has continued to increase – rendering the first wave as being barely visible on the graph chart when compared to today.

Spain, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Germany have all continued to experience similarly strong increases in the past week.

The number of deaths related to COVID-19 has increased in all the aforementioned countries as well, although they have not reached the levels seen during each respective first wave.

Marmara concluded by saying that the collective responsibility to follow the measures issued by the health authorities is important now more than even. One needs to consider the risk of everything that he or she does, Marmara remarked, before saying that everyone must play their part in order to stem the tide of the pandemic.