LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Maltese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health Chris Fearne announced that as from mid-September, the Maltese health authorties will start administering an additional booster dose to immunocompromised individuals and those in homes for the elderly. Fearne added that fully vaccinated individuals will spend less time in quarantine if they come into contact with a coronavirus patient. From 16 August, all those who are fully vaccinated will spend seven days in quarantine instead of 14. The quarantine period will end once a negative test is presented. However, these new rules will not be applicable to household contacts, the Covid positive patient themselves or travellers. Meanwhile, due to the high rate of vaccine uptake, the Maltese health authorities will not increase restrictions to curb the spread of the virus. To date, 392,100 individuals have been fully vaccinated. Superintendent of Public Health Professor Charmaine Gauci said that 95% of the cases reported over the past week have been attributed to the Delta variant. She added that the majority of cases registered in July were individuals travelling to Malta. During the same month, over 700 cases were registered among English language students, however all schools took the necessary measures in this regard and have reopened for those who are fully vaccinated. The number of active cases in Malta stands at 1,134. There are 36 Covid-19 patients in hospital, of whom four are in intensive care. So far, the pandemic has claimed 424 lives.
(ITALPRESS).
