Health Minister Jo Etienne Abela has apologised to patients who have had their operations cancelled due to unexpected damage to the sterilisation system at Mater Dei Hospital.

It was not specified how many operations have been cancelled.

Abela, writing on Facebook, said that engineers and others employed with the Health Ministry in Malta, Gozo, as well as others in the private sector are "working day and night" to fix the damage.

The Malta Independent has sent questions to the Ministry concerning what operations were cancelled and when they will be taking place instead, as well as questions about when the damages are expected to be remedied.