Many today defied suggestions made by the health Superintendent this morning to remain indoors, and took to public places and beaches in groups in spite of knowing how easily Coronavirus spreads.

Malta so far has 53 cases and we have not reached the peak, health chief Charmaine Gauci said today. The worst is still to come, she added, urging people to stay indoors and avoid socialising as much as possible.

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Go on the roof, in the garden, in the yard, she said this morning in her daily briefing, knowing that good weather on a public holiday encourages people to congregate with relatives and friends in public place.

But many defied her instructions, and instead went to public places and beaches in groups.

The photo above was taken this afternoon in Gnejna, but other popular areas are known to have been full of people this afternoon.

Similar instructions to stay indoors were defied in Italy for many days, and now Italy is at the centre of the world’s attention as hundreds are dying of Coronavirus cases daily while thousands of new cases are registered. Today, the head of a visiting Chinese Red Cross delegation helping Italy respond to the Coronavirus crisis says Italians aren’t sufficiently adhering to lockdown measures and warned the only way to stop the virus’ spread is by shutting down all economic activity.