All flights between Malta and Italy have been stopped with immediate effect and the catamaran service to Sicily will only be used to transport goods, Robert Abela said.

The Prime Minister made the announcement in an emergency press conference in the early hours of Tuesday at Castille.

A cruise liner that was scheduled to enter Valletta from Sicily on Tuesday morning has also been barred from entering port.

The measures come in the wake of drastic action in Italy where the government announced a territory-wide lockdown on Monday evening.

Malta registered its fourth case of coronavirus on Monday evening.

The four cases registered in Malta so far were related to people who travelled to north Italy in the past days.

Abela said more details on the fourth case will be given on Tuesday morning and did not exclude tougher quarantine measures if self-quarantine is not respected.

Abela said schools will remain open and urged people to continue with their daily lives and go to work.