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maltatoday | SUNDAY • 15 MARCH 2020
EYEWITNESS
A new
normal
for Malta
Tourists in Valletta cannot avoid the reality
of the coronavirus.
Up until yesterday, Malta had reported 18
cases of COVID-19, all cases imported from
abroad (by the time of going to print).
Malta is currently enforcing rules of
self-quarantine, measures which have
been deemed to be successful so far, in
conjunction with contact-tracing and ac-
tive surveillance by the pubic health au-
thorities.
But Prime Minister Robert Abela yester-
day ruled out an immediate lockdown as
demanded by unions, saying the advice of
publc health authorities was to only go for
a lockdown once that safety measure be-
comes necessary.
Apart from cases of coronavirus imported
from Italy, other countries from which the
virus has been contracted are Spain, Ire-
land, and Belgium. All cases so far are in
good clinical state. After some days, they
will be re-testing the cases to see whether
they still test positive or negative for coro-
navirus.
At Mater Dei, people with respiratory
problems are being swabbed – 591 swabs
have resulted negative. All cases so far
have been imported from abroad.
