A person who attended a party held at Gianpula last Sunday has tested positive for Coronavirus, however was not infectious on the day of the party - meaning that transmission of the virus would not have happened at the party.

This was revealed by the organisers of the event – a company called Indigo MT – on the Facebook event itself on Friday afternoon, with the same organisers later updating their followers with news from health authorities.

“We have just been made aware that a person who attended the event on Sunday tested positive for COVID-19. We are in touch with the authorities to understand why they haven’t yet launched contact tracing efforts”, the organisers said.

“It’s our duty to inform you of the news and recommend that you get tested. Call 111, the COVID helpline number”, they added.

In an update a few hours later however, Indigo said that health authorities had told them that the person was not infectious at the time of the party.

"We have just been in contact with the health authorities who explained that the reason why contact tracing efforts have not been launched is because the individual who tested positive was NOT infectious on the day of the party, on Sunday 26th July", the organisers said.

Regardless of this, they said that the authorities are urging anybody who develops symptoms to phone the COVID helpline 111 to make an appointment.

The event took place last Sunday on 26 July at Gianpula Village.

It will no doubt spark further concerns over mass events, after the number of Coronavirus cases spiked as a result of clusters from two separate mass events.

The first was a weekend-long party called Hotel Takeover, from which 20 cases have emerged, while the second is the Santa Venera village feast, from which another 16 cases have emerged.

Malta currently has 150 active cases of the virus, 85 of which are migrants who were rescued during the past week.

In response to growing pressure, The government announced new restrictions on mass events on Thursday evening.

The restrictions include capacity restrictions, with venues being able to accept only the equivalent of one person for every four square metres, social distancing regulations, and also the banning of feast marches.  Events of over 100 people need to pass a risk assessment form to be held.