48 new cases of Covid-19 were found over the past 24 hours and no patients have died, the health authorities said on Friday.
Health Superintendent Charmaine Gauci held her weekly Coronavirus briefing today, which can be followed in the live stream below.
The number of active cases now stands at 549 and the total number of cases since the start of the pandemic has reached 29,511.
The death toll stands at 401.
There were 53 recoveries, for a total of 28,561 so far.
2,036 swab tests were performed over the past day, for a total of 828,497 so far.
Until Thursday, 232,335 doses of the vaccine had been administered, of which 65,205 were second doses.
Two reports of blood clots, no confirmed link to vaccine
Gauci said that a substantial number of people have now been vaccinated. Anyone over 60 who has not yet received the invitation letter should contact the authorities on the 145 helpline to have an appointment scheduled.
Like with any other medication, she said, the side effects of the vaccine are being monitord and anyone who has experienced any side-effects can report this to the health authorities.
So far, the authorities received 118 reports of side effects related to the Covid vaccines.
77 had taken the Pfizer vaccine, 41 had taken the Astra Zeneca jab and one patient was unaware which vaccine had been administered. The majority were minimal side effects, like fever, fatigue and coughing.
Blood-clots as a result of the vaccine are very rare, Gauci said. The Medicines Authority has so far received two reports, but there is no confirmed link with the Covid-19 vaccine. One of the complainants had taken the Pfizer vaccine while the other had been given the Astra Zeneca vaccine.
Despite the minimal side effects, it is important that people take the vaccine, she said.
64 patients in hospitals
Gauci said the numbers dropped after the latest round of measures were introduced. The low plateau has been maintained and the 7-day moving average is 55.
Cases among people aged 80 and over continued to drop, which proves the efficacy of the vaccine, Gauci said.
The incidence of the UK variant remains stable, with an analysis carried out on 1 April showing that the number of cases linked to the variant was 75%.
There are currently 64 Covid patients in hospital.
There are 15 at Mater Dei’s Intensive Therapy Unit, of which 8 are active cases and the rest are in recovery. There are 10 patients at the Infectious Diseases Unit and 20 in other wards.
There is only one patient at the Gozo General Hospital (not in ITU), 5 at Boffa, 4 at St Thomas Hospital, 5 at Karin Grech, 3 at the Good Samaritan Facility and 1 at Mount Carmel.
Household and social gatherings are still contributing to the majority of new cases, Gauci said. However, it is clear that the measures that are currently in place have had a positive impact.
The percentage of cases related to households went down from 56% last week to 49% this week. Cases related to social contact went down from 24% to 15%, and cases related to the workplace went down from 10.7% to 8.4%.
Media questions
Taking questions from The Malta Independent, Gauci said that individuals who have received their first jab of the Astra Zeneca vaccine should not avoid their second appointment because of the reported instances of blood clots. People who have had their first jab must have their second dose of the Astra Zeneca vaccine, and not another vaccine instead.
Sports are of a greater risk to the general public than non-essential shops, Gauci said, as youths under the age of 18 could risk catching the virus and passing it onto other students in schools.
Asked if she can confirm if elderly homes can only receive one visitor per week from one household, Gauci said that the issue will be brought up with the relevant minister on another occasion.
Taking other questions from the press, Gauci said that the side-effects to the vaccine are rare, and people should not be put off from taking the Astra Zeneca vaccine because of news that it might affect those with a family history of thrombosis or might cause blood clots. The risk of someone catching Covid is higher than getting side-effects from the Astra Zeneca vaccine.
The two instances of blood clotting after vaccination are being investigated by the medicines authority, she confirmed.
It is not yet clear when the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will arrive in Malta and how many dosages of the vaccine will arrive. Once it arrives, it will be introduced into the vaccine roll-out.
Addressing the individuals who were sent to get their vaccine but then sent home and told to return another day, Gauci said that the health authorities faced a short delay in the amount of Pfizer vaccines that were imported, so those waiting to get their vaccine had to have their appointment postponed to the next day.
She has urged anyone who experiences side-effects of the vaccine, irrespective of which vaccine it is, to report their symptoms to their doctor.
The patients currently in the ITU are between the years of 45 and 75 years, she confirmed.
Asked about the opening of schools, Gauci said that she wishes to provide the same piece of advice that she gave for when schools re-opened again last year: namely that it is important for children to refrain from attending school if they experience symptoms, and that they should wear masks and wash hands. Many teachers have been vaccinated, which will provide extra protection to students.
She stressed that individuals must wear a mask in public spaces, including beaches in Malta.
Couples waiting to get married can take the 1st of June as their date for them to move around their wedding plans, she said.
Restrictions concerning fathers visiting their newborn child and partner in the maternity ward will stay the same as they are for now – with fathers allowed to visit the ward for an hour every day – and will be re-assessed at a later date.
Lastly, concerning the issue of illegal parties on the island, Gauci said that enforcement is being pushed as much as possible, however she appeals to the public to send in reports of suspicious behaviour because the police cannot be everywhere at once.
