A recovered Covid-19 patient has tested positive for the virus again in Malta, in what is a first for the country, Health Superintendent Charmaine Gauci has confirmed.

The news was broken by Times of Malta, which quoted sources in saying that the patient is believed to be a healthcare worker but that details on the patient and the circumstances are scant.

The newspaper said that health authorities have already sent samples taken from the patient for testing abroad.

This would be the first time in Malta that a patient has tested positive for the virus again after having been declared as recovered.

Speaking during the Friday briefing, Gauci confirmed the case, saying that the patient has tested positive again but has minimal symptoms. 

The patient had tested positive on 13 April and recovered on 27 April, but tested positive again on Thursday.