VALLETTA, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Malta has begun vaccinating around 4,000 elderly people in retirement homes with a second booster dose, Health Minister Chris Fearne said on Monday.

       The island country's health authorities were also inviting some 17,000 people aged over 80 who live in the community to get the booster dose, as well as around 6,000 people who are immunocompromised.

       In a statement issued after a visit to Malta's largest state-run home for the elderly, Fearne said that a further 2,000 elderly people who live in the community but are bedbound will be vaccinated at home.

       Expectant mothers who test positive for the virus will be allowed one other person in the ward during childbirth, he added.

       Malta registered 433 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, according to data from health authorities. Two COVID-19 patients died, bringing the total number of deaths to 664.