Pointing fingers at the arts and entertainment industry as the cause for the latest spike in Covid-19 cases is unfounded because the entertainment industry is still shut down, the Malta Entertainment Industry and Arts Association said on Friday.

Speaking as the number of Covid-19 cases continues to rise – 55 new cases were reported on Thursday, and 96 were reported on Friday – the MEIA said that it is concerned at how the cases were emerging from incoming visitors.

The vast majority of the cases currently being found are amongst foreign language students, sources told The Malta Independent on Thursday.

The MEIA reminded that stand up controlled events as well as controlled mass gatherings still cannot take place.

“So pointing fingers at parts of our sector which are technically still shut down, was and still is unfounded”, the MEIA said.

“On the other hand, illegal and uncontrolled activity remains a threat to the safe reopening of the industry”, they added.

This comes after the Medical Association of Malta called for urgent measures which restrict parties and mass gatherings as soon as possible as one of the measures to curb the spread of the virus.

The association said that border control remains a determining factor in stopping imported cases and avoiding the spread of the virus within the local community.

“MEIA will ensure that the safe reopening of the industry will not be demonised any further”, they concluded.