48 new COVID-19 cases recorded
Malta has recorded 48 new COVID-19 cases, continuing a trend of double-digit infections. No new deaths were recorded. There are now 549 active cases as 53 patients recovered overnight. Friday's new cases were found from 2,036 swab tests taken over the previous 24 hours. It is the 14th consecutive day that the number of new cases remained in double digits. There are now 549 active cases. Superintendent of Health Charmaine Gauci is currently giving her weekly update on the most recent cases. The government announced a lockdown exit plan on Wednesday, with a staggered reopening of schools beginning Monday, with non-essential shops and services to reopen on April 26. A total of 232,335 vaccine doses have been administered so far, with 65,205 of those being second doses. The European Medicines Agency said on Wednesday that blood clots should be listed as a "very rare" side effect of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine but that the jab's benefits continue to outweigh the risks. However, there have been no cases of blood clots linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine in Malta and the Maltese health authorities are continuing with their plan of administering the AstraZeneca to anyone...