Eight new cases of COVID-19 coronavirus were confirmed overnight, Public Health Superintendent Charmaine Gauci said on Sunday.

She said 1,041 people were tested in 24 hours, raising the total of tests so far to 17,057.

Malta has now had 378 positive cases.

Earlier on Sunday Health Minister Chris Fearne said 28 patients had recovered, raising the total of recoveries to 44.

Of the eight new cases, one was related to travel - a 61-year-old Maltese man who returned from the UK pm a repatriation flight. His wife tested negative and contact tracing for other people who were on the flight is being carried out.

Giving a break-down of the other cases, Gauci said a 58-year-old Maltese woman began showing symptoms on April 7. The woman was not going to work but worked in close proximity of her family. Contact tracing is being carried out.

Gauci said a 37-year-old Maltese man began showing symptoms on April 8.

A 50-year-old Maltese woman began to exhibit symptoms on April 9. The case is contained.

A 73-year-old Maltese man began showing symptoms on April 5. This case is also contained.

A 74-year-old man from Gozo was tested after he began to show light symptoms. His wife, who also showed some symptoms, tested negative.

Two cases tested positive from the Ħal Far open centre, a 25-year-old and 21-year-old, both men.

The migrants tested positive from a batch of 23 people who had been randomly tested. Neither were showing symptoms.

When asked about the public health risks of allowing migrants to disembark from rescue vessels, Gauci said the role of public health was to protect migrants as well as the local community.

She said that the last batch of migrants that had been rescued had shown no symptoms and none had tested positive for COVID-19. All of them are currently in quarantine.

In response to questions about why partners of expectant mothers are not being allowed in the delivery room, Gauci said that hospitals had taken a decision not to allow visitors to reduce the number of people going to hospital, putting patients and healthcare workers at risk.

She said that because the delivery process often ran into long hours, fathers were only being allowed in the last phases of the birthing process, when they could be of assistance to mothers.