Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1250967
3 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 24 MAY 2020 NEWS Cases 609 Imported 94 Local 515 Active 130 Recoveries 473 Deaths 6 LATEST COVID-19 www.maltatoday.com.mt/covid19 MATTHEW AGIUS THERE were nine new cases of COVID-19 in Malta yesterday and four recoveries, according to the latest figures published by the Public Health authorities. The total number of active cases now stands at 130. 59,511 swabs have been taken, the fig- ures show, 1,727 between Fri- day and Saturday. Yesterday public health au- thorities confirmed that a healthcare worker at a COV- ID-19 swabbing centre was amongst those who tested pos- itive for the disease. The worker tested positive during regular routine tests on all healthcare workers. He had no symptoms. The Superintendent of Public Health issued a statement say- ing that the man would have been wearing Personal Pro- tective Equipment during his hours of work and so there was no risk for users of the Swab Centre. It is thought that the man contracted the virus while in the community, outside his working hours. The hub was disinfected as a precaution and will be continu- ing to receive the public. On Friday, when just one new case was registered, Pub- lic Health Superintendent Prof. Charmaine Gauci said the rise and fall in the daily number of cases highlighted the fact that one must consider the average figure over a period to establish the prevalence of the virus. "The numbers in Malta fluctu- ate... so we have to consider the average numbers to see how the situation is developing," Gauci said on Friday, adding that the ratio of cases compared to the number of tests was lower than that seen in April. Nine new cases as tests climb to 60,000 Plastic tape divides potential COVID-19 cases from pregnant patients at Mater Dei MATTHEW AGIUS MEDICAL staff at Mater Dei Hospital are up in arms, claiming vulnerable patients are being seen in a place shared with cases potentially infected with COVID-19. Gynae and early pregnancy emergencies were previously seen in the "clean" area of casualty next to day-care. This has now been moved to the "dirty" casualty area as surgical operations are resuming at Mater Dei. These vulnerable women were seen in the same ward area as sick and sympto- matic patients who are in casualty await- ing their COVID-19 swab results. The waiting area where these women are told to wait to be seen is a five-minute walk away from the new gynae emergency room, and they have to pass through the red zone area where staff are using pro- tective equipment (PPE). "This is less than ideal if someone is bleeding or in pain, as is most often the case with early pregnancy complications or miscarriages," a staff member said, on condition of anonymity. There is no separation of pregnant pa- tients from those potentially infected, and the toilet facilities are shared by both clean and dirty area users, sources told MaltaToday. The door to this ward leads directly on to the donning-and-doffing station where staff members take off dirty PPE. There is no desk or computer for doctors, who must instead share these with the "dirty" ward. "The bottom line is that this is not safe for the patients, or us," one staff member said. Contacted by MaltaToday, Walter Busuttil, the medical director at Mater Dei Hospital explained that the arrange- ment was temporary and came as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. "Doctors are not seeing known COV- ID-19 patients in this room," Busuttil said. "All of the emergency areas have shared toilets. We try to make sure that they are cleaned regularly. All doctors and nurs- es have access to PPEs. We recommend to all our staff to wear PPEs for patient contact whenever the COVID-19 status is unknown and whenever the risk might be high." There were plans to improve the facili- ties for the obstetrics and gynae room in the near future, he said. "Please note that the A&E department has been split into different areas because of the COVID-19 pandemic and we are still trying to im- prove these facilities. Part of the A&E de- partment was recently (Tuesday) moved from what used to be the endoscopy unit to another area since this unit is now be- ing used for endoscopy again."