Malta will be shutting down all air travel from Saturday as it ramps up restrictions to combat the spread of the coronavirus.

The order by the Public Health Superintendent was communicated to airlines late on Tuesday and the ban on incoming flights will enter into force on Saturday.

In a notice to airmen (Notam), the aviation authorities said that all inbound passenger flights "are temporarily suspended" but an exemption applies to flights departing before 11:59pm on 20 March. This effectively means that the ban comes into force on Saturday.

The ban does not apply to ferry flights, cargo flights, humanitarian flights and repatriation flights. The authorities may in special cases exempt individual flights.