Structural works are currently under way in the Infectious Disease Ward at Mater Dei Hospital, so that a special unit will be established where patients with rare cases of infection that would have a very high risk of community transmission will be treated.

The project costs €1.7 million and is partially financed by EU funds.

While visiting the site, Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Chris Fearne said that with the High Degree Isolation Unit, the country will be prepared even in the eventuality of receiving infectious cases like the Marburg virus, virus, Dengue, Ebola, Lassa fever, Sars Co-V and others.

“By the end of this year Mater Dei Hospital will be one of the few centres in Europe that can receive these types of patients, offer the best quality service, without any danger to the medical staff,” Fearne said.

The structural works are being coordinated by the Foundation for Medical Services, while the design is being handled by local and foreign experts in collaboration with medical experts at Mater Dei Hospital.

FMS Chief Projects Officer Andrew Vella Zarb explained that for this unit to receive the highest safety certificate a number of structural requirements were needed in other parts of the hospital, in particular on the air purification system.