Coronavirus: three new deaths announced, 420 more people test positive on Thursday (updated)

Health authorities announced three deaths from Covid-19 on Thursday and 420 new infections after 48, 220 tests, a positivity rate of 0.87 per cent.

Hospitals are treating 208 people for the virus, 85 of whom in serious or critical condition. According to the health ministry, 82.22 per cent of those hospitalised have no vaccination record.

Of the 85 patients, 45 are intubated, five were being treated in an ICU without intubation, and 35 in high dependency units.

Fourteen post-Covid patients are intubated in serious condition, the ministry said.

The deaths concern two men, aged 88 and 63, and a woman, 68. All three died on Wednesday.

The number of deaths from Covid-19 has reached 470 – 301 men and 169 women. The average age is 77.

The number of recorded infections since the pandemic broke in March last year has reached 110,518.

Of the 420 new cases, 56 concerned close contacts of previously confirmed cases. They were detected in 314 samples.

Fifteen cases were detected among 3,515 samples collected from arriving passengers at the two airports, the ministry said.

A further 76 cases were among 2,559 samples tested privately while 12 cases were reported by state hospital labs after testing 202 samples.

Private labs and pharmacies reported 183 cases after 25,793 tests while testing units that are part of the state’s mass screening programme reported 78 cases after 15,781 tests.