No Corona Virus infections have been registered in Malta so far, Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne told Parliament on Monday evening.
In a ministerial statement, Fearne said thatwo people are currently being held in quarantine as a precaution after returning from a cruise in Asia. Apart from this, Malta has no cases of Novel Corona Virus, also known as COVID-19.
Fearne said that on 13 February 2020, a meeting was set up between the Health Ministers of the European Union and it was concluded that despite the number of cases found, it hasn’t reached the point of an epidemic.
In collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), Maltese authorities took the necessary precautions for containment.
The Superintendent of Public Health is leading a committee which is following the problem globally and making recommendations locally, Fearne said.
There are professional screenings taking place the airport in Luqa on a 24-hour basis, targeting anyone coming from places where coronavirus cases have been found. There are isolation facilities both at the airport and at the Grand Harbour.
Fearne added that Malta’s laboratories have been equipped so that results can be obtained injusdt two hours and any positive results are directed to care facilities outside of Mater Dei, where twelve beds are available.
The Infection Control Unit has also been expanded with eight beds in order to house any critical cases that require help from Mater Dei.
The Emergency Department, the Intensive Therapy Unit and Health Centres have also been equipped with isolation spaces and protective wear has been purchased for medical staff who have undergone educational programmes regarding this situation.
Fearne assured that the Malta’s Health Department is in contact with the Global Healthcare, ECDC and the EU Health Security Committee.There is also a helpline for anyone who has queries on the topic – 21324086.
The first reported case of an infection of the Novel Corona Virus was on 31December 2019. So far, there have been 70,000 reported cases, and 1,780 people have died. Studies have revealed that the virus it is similar to a normal flu, yet, no vaccine has been found yet.
During the parliamentary session, Fearne received a lot of positive feeback for the work that the health authorities are doing in this regard, with PN MP Mario Galea saying that the Opposition supports his work.
However, some questions were raised especially about what is being done regarding the vaccine and how it will be funded. Fearne said that studies are still underway as there are still questions to be answered.
“It will take around a year or more for a vaccine to be available due to the extensive testing it has to undergo. The vaccine for Ebola took two years to be developed and we expect something similar here.”
He added that, during the meeting with the EU Health Council, Malta appealed for EU funds to be channelled on research on this virus. “This virus could be seasonal, so even if things were to wear off for the hotter seasons it could come back and this is why we made this appeal and the ECDC agreed with us.”
“We also appealed for the shortening of bureaucratic measures in order to develop the vaccine quicker. Additionally, we requested for a joint procurement among EU members wherein, in the case of anepidemic, the European Council buys the vaccines and spreads them across the EU member of state accordingly,” he concluded.