New COVID measures to be announced at 6pm press conference

Prime Minister Robert Abela is expected to announce new COVID restrictions at 6pm on Wednesday (today) in response to the latest spike in cases.

On Wednesday, Malta registered a record number of daily COVID transmissions, at 510 cases. The last record was reached on 5th May at 362 cases.

“Later today, and with the utmost transparency, we will be announcing new measures after day-long discussions with the Health Authorities. On COVID, we were not perfect, but we were not on the sidelines, only criticising and politicising the pandemic,” Dr Abela said in Parliament.

Labour Party Communications Officer, Nigel Vella, relayed the Prime Minister's message on social media:

Last Thursday, 4th March, Government had announced a raft of new measures to combat the most recent spike. Restaurants and snack bars are only permitted to serve take-out till 11th April, with the closure of bars extended to the same date.

A limit on the mixing of up to four households was introduced, and a banning of contact sports for under-16s.

Several business interest groups have called for tougher measures to combat the virus and save any chances of economic recovery in 2021.