Malta received its first shipment of rapid COVID-19 testing kits earlier this week, Health Minister Chris Fearne said on Wednesday.  

These tests would provide quick results, with patients knowing whether they are positive or negative for the virus in around 15 to 30 minutes.

Fearne announced this whilst answering journalists’ questions on Wednesday morning.

“These are anti-gen tests which provide a quick result. These anti-gen tests are now in Malta and we are currently making arrangements to verify the efficiency of these tests. In the days to come we will be announcing how these tests will be used alongside existing testing procedures.”

Currently individuals who have taken the swab test have to wait a few hours before being given the result, in most cases people find out their results a full day after the test.

There are six testing centres in Malta; at Mater Dei Hospital, Luxol Ground in Pembroke, Luqa, Qormi, Burmarrad and in Gozo.

As of Tuesday’s update, there have been 251,772 swab tests carried out since the start of the pandemic.