620 people were fined last week for not wearing a mask, Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri said in a Facebook post.

The wearing of masks became mandatory practically everywhere when the government recently announced a new set of restrictive measures to combat the spread of Covid-19. On Monday, the government announced new measures, which will see bars and clubs shut down until 1 December.

Camilleri said the fines were dished out by community police officers. Hundreds more were warned to wear a mask or instructed on how to put the masks on properly.

The minister said he believes the numbers to be too high and urged people to cooperate and avoid being fined.

While community police officers are doing a sterling job, they cannot be everywhere all the time, he added.