The Malta Association for Public Health Medicine (MAPHM) is calling for “responsibility and strong public health measures” as our islands are “currently experiencing the highest rate of new infections since the start of the pandemic,” saying that suggestions put forward that could curb the virus “seem to have fallen on deaf ears.”

Since then, “the number of deaths has nearly tripled,” MAPHM said in a statement, with one death being reported nearly every day since 18^th September. They also noted the high number of patients in ITU – the highest since the start of the pandemic in Malta. “Many dozens of people are hospitalised, with several who are young and were completely healthy before getting infected with the COVID-19 virus.”

The association also noted that Mater Dei will be opening its 3^rd ITU “as part of the contingency plan. Operations are being cancelled due to lack of capacity. The Laboratory is running the highest number of tests daily since the start of the pandemic. We are having outbreaks in nursing homes, workplaces, families and gatherings. Soon schools will be added to this list. Thousands of people are in mandatory quarantine.”

They’ve also shed light on the Case Management and Contact Tracing team being overwhelmed and not coping with the large numbers of daily positive cases. “If public health measures are not re-introduced soon, the death rate will continue to rise and many of our loved ones will not make it through this winter.”

“The situation is at its worst since the start of the pandemic. The health services are stretched to their limit and everything is indicating that it is going to get much worse, quickly,” they said, imploring those in power to “implement targeted measures.”