Another three cases of Coronavirus have been confirmed, bringing the total up to 12, the Superintendent for Public Health said on Friday.
All of the cases are imported, and there have as yet been no local transmission of the virus.
Charmaine Gauci said the first case was of a 45-year-old Maltese man who flew in from Munich on 7 March. He developed symptoms on 11 March. The man is in good condition.
His family members are also in quarantine but are not showing symptoms. Gauci said the man is self-employed but he had no significant contact with others.
Two more cases were confirmed during the night.
The first is a 40-year-old Italian who lives in Malta.
On 29 February he went to Paris, returning on 6 March. On 10 March he started feeling symptoms of fever and coughing. He tested positive after being swabbed. The man works online with no contact with people at the workplace. He had casual contact with two people who are in quarantine and are being tested.
The third case is a 30-year-old Maltese woman who is a healthcare worker. She went to Brussels on 5 March and returned on 9 March. Symptoms developed on 11 March. The woman attended some social events and the authorities are doing contact tracing. None of her family members are showing any symptoms. The woman went to work on 10 March. The risk is minimal but all precautions were taken and a risk assessment was carried out this morning. Those who she came in contact with have been placed in quarantine as a precaution. None of the people she came in contact with are showing symptoms. She did not get infected from the hospital, with all cases so far being imported from abroad.
So far there is still no local transmission of the virus, Gauci stressed. She said that one of the first cases, a woman, has recovered.
Gauci said more cases are to be expected and the authorities are evaluating the situation locally and abroad.
Gauci said a number of measures have been taken already, such as the closure of schools and cancellation of mass events.
The Superintendent said the authorities are focusing on ‘flattening of graph,’ reducing the peak of new infections. “We know that 80% of those who will be affected will not have any problems, but the situation is different for vulnerable people.”
Asked whether the country is heading towards a complete lockdown, Gauci said a number of measures have already been taken, such as stopping flights from certain countries, but reminded that trade cannot stop since Malta is dependent on the importation of goods.
Asked whether court sittings should continue, Gauci said all necessary measures are being taken by the Justice Ministry.
Gyms should not accept sick people and hygiene measures should be in place.
Services will be introduced to deliver food and medicine to those in quarantine who have no one to help them.