Air Malta will be operating two flights to Rome between this evening and tomorrow morning in order to fly Italians back to their home country and to bring Maltese back to Malta.
Economy Minister Silvio Schembri wrote on Facebook on Tuesday that the first flight will leave Malta to Rome at 18:00 this evening, while the second flight will leave Malta on Wednesday morning.
Schembri said that upon arrival in Malta, every passenger will be checked and will be instructed to quarantine themselves for 14 days.
The flights come as Malta’s measures to fight the novel Coronavirus intensify, and after Italy locked down the whole country to try and contain the spread of the virus.
Malta registered its fifth case of the virus on Tuesday – all five cases contracted the virus after they holidayed in Italy, which itself has registered almost 8,000 cases and 463 deaths from the virus as of the end of Monday.
A total of 278 flights to Malta from Italy and other countries have been cancelled by seven airlines already.
Virtu Ferries meanwhile issued a statement announcing that they have been authorized by the Maltese and Italian Authorities, to operate the vessel on the Malta-Pozzallo-Malta route as per schedule. This service can only be availed of by registered commercial vehicles and their drivers.
“As a concession by the Authorities, Maltese nationals and holders of a Maltese Residency Permit, currently in Italy who wish to return to Malta and Italian nationals currently in Malta who wish to return to Italy, may do so on the round trip scheduled for this evening, Tuesday 10th March”, the company said on Tuesday.
At the same time, Virtu Ferries announced that two repatriation voyages will be carried out Wednesday leaving from Malta at 8.30am and from 11.15am from Pozzallo.