A three-year-old Libyan boy who spent 10 days fighting for his life at Mater Dei Hospital’s intensive therapy unit died on Monday night and was flown back to his family in Misurata for burial yesterday.

He was brought to Malta on October 1 with severe brain injury.

His condition deteriorated over the weekend.

The boy was accompanied by his uncle, a Libyan doctor who lived in the UK, and was flown back on a Medavia plane.

Meanwhile, another six injured Libyans were flown to Malta for treatment. All aged under 30, including two 17-year-olds, the patients were wounded by bullets or explosions in the ongoing fighting in Sirte and other areas.

Despite their serious injuries they do not require intensive care and have been split up equally between Saint James Hospital and Gozo General Hospital.

Saint James Hospital has treated most of the Libyan patients who did not require intensive care but this is the first time Gozo General Hospital is being used.

A total of 31 Libyan patients have so far been brought over for treatment. Two, including the boy, have died.

Although the government has taken pride in its treatment of Libyan patients, there has been criticism about overcrowding from some quarters, particularly the nurses’ union.