As COVID cases in Malta spiral, WHO reports second consecutive weekly global case growth

While Malta’s COVID cases continue to spike, the World Health Organisation has reported that the number of cases globally has increased for the second consecutive week, after falling for six weeks in a row.

On Tuesday, the WHO reported that over 2.7 million new COVID cases were reported in the week prior, which is a 2 per cent increase on the one before it.

It says the global case increase was driven by increases in the Eastern Mediterranean (10 per cent), the Africa Region (10 per cent), and Europe (four per cent).

It comes as local news outlets, including the Time of Malta and the Malta Independent report that on Wednesday the Maltese health authorities are expected to record more than 400 new cases, which will be an alarming new daily high for the country.

However, despite Malta’s dramatically increasing cases, as of its last report on Tuesday, the WHO still classed transmission in Malta as a “cluster of cases”, rather than “community transmission”, which suggests that transmission in the country, whilst growing, is not yet quite out of control.

The erupting case numbers, globally and in Malta will likely shake the confidence of businesses, especially those in the tourism industry, that had been hoping for a recovery in time for the summer season.

On Thursday, the Maltese Government introduced new measures to limit the spread of the virus, which include a ban on eating at restaurants and snack bars.