A girl who returned to Palermo from Malta is in serious conditions after testing positive for COVID-19, Italian media reported on Saturday.

According to PalermoToday, the young girl’s condition is very serious and she is now in Intensive care in Cervello Hospital.

The girl tested positive last Thursday after returning from a trip to Malta. The news portal gives no indication of the age of the girl.

“We are very concerned about the Maltese outbreak which represents a very significant number of cases,” said the regional councillor for Health Ruggero Razza.

The newspaper quoted Razza saying that there is a direct means of travel between Malta and Sicily, where more than 1,000 people make use of every day.

As of Thursday, Italy is requiring coronavirus tests for people arriving from Malta, Croatia, Spain and Greece after an increase of new infections were registered in Italians returning home from vacation.

Travellers from the four countries must show proof of a negative test in the past 72 hours, submit to a test upon arrival or go to the local Italian health service to be tested within two days.