Health Superintendent Charmaine Gauci said today five new Coronavirus cases were registered in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 156.

The five were among the 637 swab tests that were carried out in the three hubs - Luqa, Pembroke and Gozo - the highest so far.

The number might give the wrong impression that the situation is not getting worse, Gauci said when addressing the media. But she insisted that Malta is still at the "beginning of the curve". We are expecting that the njumber of cases will continue to rise.

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She pointed out that some people tend to go out between the time they take the test and the result is issued. This is wrong, she said. People should stay inside as much as possible, particularly so if they are experiencing symptoms.

Gauci said that five of the 156 patients are in the Infectious Diseases Unit, 17 at St Thomas Hospital and another four at the Intensive Care Unit at Mater Dei Hospital, one of whom is still intubated.

Three of the cases reported today are linked to travelling, while the other two were locally transmitted. One of them is from Gozo, bringing the total to three.

Symtoms include headaches, sore throat and a loss of sense of smell and taste.

The first case is of a Maltese man, aged 30, who returned from Mexico on 19 March and experienced symptoms on the same day. A contact tracing exercise is being carried out to check who were the passengers who were sitting near him on the blame.

A 64-year-old woman returned from England on 15 March and experienced symptoms on 24 March. She had been in quarantine since her return.

A health care worker, aged 30, returned from England on 10 March and developed symptoms two days later. He had not been in quarantine at the time - there had been no directive to such effect on the day he returned - and had gone to work. A contact tracing exercise is taking place to see which colleagues and patients could have come in contact with him.

The other two cases that were reported today were linked to local transmission - two women aged 35 and 44. In the first case, she had felt the symptoms on 27 March, had not been at work and was in contact with two other relatives who so far have tested negative. In the second case, the woman developed symptoms on 22 March and a contact tracing exercise is being carried out to see who came in contact with her at her place of work.

Since Tuesday is a public holiday, Gauci urged the public to respect and obey social distancing measures, and to celebrate the holiday indoors with family. She said that vulnerable and elderly people are to stay at home, and for any individuals who might have doubts should contact the authorities on email [email protected]

Gauci said that any child who requires hospitalisation because of Coronavirus will still be able to have a parent or guardian stay with them at hospital. “If a child requires hospitalisation, the parent can remain with them at the hospital. If the parent is tests negative for the virus, the adult with have to wear protective mask and clothing,” explained Gauci.

She said that in most cases, when a child has been tested positive and their symptoms are mild, they can be kept in isolation at home.

When asked whether there are any types of medication which can harm patients with the virus, Gauci explained that there have been numerous tests on medication and that there is no evidence that there is a link to medication for blood pressure affects Coronavirus patients. “We appeal for those individuals to continue to take their medication, because there is a risk that stopping could lead to a heart attack,” Gauci said.