In Parliament, the Minister of Health Chris Fearne called on the editor of In-Nazzjon to publish a formal apology for the news story which was featured on its front page on Wednesday.

He spoke about the article whilst answering a parliamentary question tabled before him by Opposition MP Chris Said regarding the finances of hospitals in Malta and Gozo.

The story which concerns an outbreak of the H1N1 influenza strain in Mater Dei Hospital is a prime example of 'fake news' the minister told Parliament.

He went on to say that he spoke with the Head of Pathology at Mater Dei confirmed that there had been no cases of the virus within the last three months.

He also pointed to another story published on Wednesday, which claimed that Mater Dei CEO Ivan Falzon had resigned, as another example of fake news. He said that it appears that Shadow Minister Claudette Buttigieg is getting fake stories from an unreliable source.

He praised the importance of strong and independent journalism, but said that these types of stories are only "a disservice to the profession."

Minister Fearne also informed parliament that about 1,500 international students and 200 Maltese doctors have applied to study at Barts Medical School in Gozo.

It was also revelead that a hotel bed at the Gozo Hospital cost €636 a night as opposed to €874.40c in Malta.