The positive trend in lower rates of Coronavirus infections from a person to another continued in Malta.

A scientific analysis by statistician Vincent Marmara shows a continuous encouraging picture, however Dr Marmara said that in case some restrictions are eased, the authorities should remain vigilant everyday on the rate of infections to avoid the second wave, as is happening in other countries.

“Malta’s reproduction ratio is 1 to 0.54. One person is transmitting to another half person, that is if you have two persons who have the virus, it is only one of them who transmits this virus to others”.

Comparing the infection rate in the seventh week of the pandemic in Malta with the same week of other persons, Dr Marmara concluded that restrictions in Malta are working well.

“Take the United Kingdom; in their seventh week the reproduction ratio was of around two; Spain also around two and in Italy the reproduction ratio is 1.5”.

Dr Marmara added that until cases remain in the community, however small are the numbers, the situation should be a cautious one. When the moment arrives to ease the measures, he said that the infection rates from a person to another should be analysed clearly to avoid the second wave.

“It is important that one exactly understands the reproduction ratio day by day so that one understands the impact of these measures on the community and ascertain that this reproduction ratio is kept under control. So, we will also ascertain that we have a clearer visibility of what is happening in the community and thus keep the cases as low as possible”.

26 Coronavirus cases were reported in Malta in the seventh week of the pandemic – 13 more than the first week of the virus spread and five times less than the fifth week in which the largest number of cases were reported. The 448 cases in Malta consisted of 266 men and 182 women.

Report: Melvic Zammit, Date: April 25, 2020