LOCAL NEWS
Press Conference by Health Superintendent (30th March 1230 hrs)
In her daily briefing, Prof Charmaine Gauci announced that 13 new cases were identified in the past 24 hours, resulting from 563 swabs. These 13 patients are all in good condition.
This takes Malta’s tally to one case short of 170. Eight of the new cases concern local transmission, five of which all relate to the same cluster of a person who was reporting to work despite experiencing symptoms.
An eight-year old girl and an elderly couple in their Seventies have contracted the infection through family members previously diagnosed with the virus.
Most of the travel-related cases relate to people returning from the United Kingdom as well as one from Morocco.
Prof Gauci noted the increase in locally transmitted cases, justifying new restrictive measures taken yesterday. She appealed for the public to stay inside today despite being a public holiday with fine weather.
Press Conference by Home Affairs Minister (30th March, 1745hrs)
Home Affairs Byron Camilleri announced new restrictive measures to avoid public gatherings.
The Minister expressed his gratitude at the work of law enforcement officers and expressed his disappointment that a number of people yesterday flaunted directives and enjoyed time out in groups. For this reason, a new legal notice will be issued reducing groups of people that will be allowed together to three. Groups of four or more can be fined up to 100 euro per person. The police mounted and dogs sections will be assisting.
Due consideration will be given to places where queues form in a natural manner such as banks and bus stops. However, a two-metre safety distance needs to be observed.
MEDIA COVERAGE
Timesofmalta.com
Malta could register a record deficit because of COVID-19 – Finance Minister
Malta could register a record deficit as a result of the economic impact caused by the coronavirus outbreak, Finance Minister Edward Scicluna warned.
Speaking in parliament at the end of a debate authorising the government to get a €2 billion loan in the wake of COVID-19, Scicluna said the government was forecasting a drop in revenue and higher expenditure with respect to the projections of the 2020 Budget.
Maltatoday
Opposition supports government’s drive to increase debt
Parliament has unanimously approved a Bill to increase government debt in order to fund the financial aid packages being offered to the businesses worst impacted by Covid-19.
The Bill was rushed through all its parliamentary stages on Monday, after the Opposition, in a break with tradition, voted in favour of a government motion to increase its level of debt in order to implement the three coronavirus aid packages announced in the past weeks.
“Although the Opposition has its reserves on some of the [financial aid measures] – since it believes the government should do more to save businesses and jobs, and should not limit its help only to certain sectors, but to all which are being affected by the pandemic […] – it will not be voting against the Bill, since extraordinary situations require an extraordinary response,” PN MP and finance shadow minister Mario De Marco said.
Coronavirus: Layoffs inevitable unless government extends aid package, business leaders warn
For some workers, the March pay could be their last as business leaders warn of layoffs unless the government aid package is extended to more companies.
The situation has been likened to the Great Depression by Paul Abela, head of the Chamber of SMEs, who said the government’s two-tiered financial aid package was not enough.
Paul Abela has urged the government to put its cards on the table and tell the business community its plans.
“Government is giving indications of another package as it is seeing that the current one isn’t going to work. We are saying that many sectors were left out of Annex A and we want them in,” he said, adding the Chamber of SMEs has forwarded a list of sectors for inclusion.
Abela said that by widening the eligibility for aid, the government will save money because these workers will end up unemployed and still receive €800 a month in benefits.
“We are on the brink of a Great Depression worse than that after the First World War… Annex B of the aid package is not enough and I’m 99% sure it will lead to layoffs,” Abela told MaltaToday.
Lovin Malta
Malta Enterprise CEO Expects Manufacturing Companies To Feel The Pinch Soon As Supply Chains Get Cut
Maltese manufacturing companies could soon start feeling the pinch as supply chains worldwide get cut as a result of the global COVID-19 crisis, Malta Enterprise CEO Kurt Farrugia has warned.
“We’re keeping tabs with manufacturing companies and are on the phone with them day in day out to discuss their situation,” Farrugia said on Lovin Malta’s talk show #CovidCalls. “Some are finding that their supply chains are being cut as a result of factories closing in other countries, while some are working just fine but then find that other factories have closed when it comes to sending their products.”
Newsbook
COVID-19 cases trend expected to increase – Fearne
Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Chris Fearne said that authorities envisage the coronavirus cases trend in Malta and Gozo to increase in the coming days as this is what happens in a pandemic.
Minister Fearne stated this while being interviewed on Tuesday Morning during 103 breakfast show.
Minister Fearne said that all those involved in managing the strategy to combat coronavirus; health authorities, the medical staff and many others, feel emotional when they follow foreign news on coronavirus when they hear about the overwhelming situations in many hospitals.
Printed
The Times reports on the introduction of a legal notice that imposes fines of €100 for each individual in groups of four people or more. Families who are part of the same household are exempt from the new measure.
The Independent quotes Public Health Superintendent Charmaine Gauci who warned that Malta is still at the beginning of the curve. She appealed to people who take the test to stay indoors until the results are returned.
L-Orizzont quotes Foreign Affairs Minister Evarist Bartolo who said that the government received over 9,000 requests for help with repatriation. Bartolo describes the current situation as the most difficult the country has faced since the war.
The Independent speaks to a spokesperson from the Family Ministry who said that access to children and child maintenance support should continue as normal despite the current situation, unless proceedings are initiated to revise agreements.
L-Orizzont says that the Covid-19 testing hubs in Luqa, Pembroke and Gozo can conduct up to 700 swabs every day. Public Health Superintendent Charmaine Gauci said that authorities are looking into other types of testing in the meantime.
In-Nazzjon says that mounted police will start making patrols to disperse people in groups of more than three. Exceptions are made for people queueing at public spaces such as bus stops and banks. In-Nazzjon says that the opposition will vote with the government to raise borrowing to help deal with the coronavirus outbreak. Opposition Leader Adrian Delia said that the main priority is the national interest.
The Times says that Malta Enterprise received some 2,200 applications for aid on the first day of the Covid-19 rescue scheme. The first applications cover around 6,600 employees and self-employed.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Germany’s economy expected to shrink by 5.4%
The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Germany has risen to 61,913 and 583 people have died of the disease, statistics from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Tuesday.
Cases rose by 4,615 compared with the previous day while the death toll climbed by 128, the tally showed.
Meanwhile a special report published Monday, Germany’s panel of economic advisers to the government has warned a recession in Europe’s powerhouse is inevitable. In a worst case scenario, output will shrink by 5.4%.
More than 3,000 people died from coronavirus in the US
More than 3,000 people have died from coronavirus in the U.S. and more than 163,800 confirmed cases have been reported across the country, according to Johns Hopkins University. In what is a ‘grim new milestone’ marking the spread of the Covid19, the total deaths across the United States hit 3,017.
540 were reported death on Monday, and the reported cases climbed to more than 163,000, according to a Reuters tally. The total includes cases from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and other US territories, as well as all repatriated cases. Hawaii and Wyoming have not reported a death from coronavirus.
EU Corner
EU research funds to fight the coronavirus
As the world struggles to contain the coronavirus pandemic, the EU is supporting efforts to develop vaccines and effective treatments as soon as possible.
The EU has come up with a coordinated response to help tackle the current crisis. Funding research and innovation projects to find a cure for Covid-19 is a vital part of that plan.
The European Commission has allocated €47.5 million for 17 research projects within
Horizon 2020, the EU’s framework programme for funding research.
The 136 research teams from across the EU and beyond that are participating in these projects are working on:
- improving preparedness and response to outbreaks by developing better monitoring systems to prevent and control the spread of the virus
- rapid point-of-care diagnostic tests, enabling quicker and more accurate diagnosis
- new treatments
- developing new vaccines
Commission presents practical guidance to ensure the free movement of critical workers
The Commission has issued new practical advice to ensure that mobile workers within the EU, in particular those in critical occupations to fight the coronavirus pandemic, can reach their workplace. This includes but is not limited to those working in the health care and food sectors, and other essential services like childcare, elderly care, and critical staff for utilities.
Together with the Guidance on the implementation of the temporary restriction on non- essential travel to the EU also issued today, this responds to requests made by EU leaders on 26 March and seeks to address practical concerns of citizens and companies affected by the measures taken to limit the spread of the coronavirus, as well as of national authorities implementing the measures.
Examples include health associate professionals, child and elderly care workers, scientists in health-related industries, those needed to install critical medical devices, firefighters and police officers, transport workers, as well as persons working in the food sector.
More News:
For a Fact-Checked Aggregated Service of CoVid-19 related information, please visit: https://corporatedispatch.com/category/coronavirus/
Additional info
Helplines
111 – For those who feel symptoms of COVID-19 or who wish further information
21411 411 – For those in mandatory quarantine who require provisions of food and medicine
1772 – For those who are feeling lonely.
153 – For those who require information about the financial measures administered by the Department for Social Security.
144 – For those who require information about the financial measures administered by Malta Enterprise.
2204 2200 – For Maltese residents who were caught in one of the high-risk countries and wish to return to Malta
25981000 – For those who have questions about the educational sector and the impact of the coronavirus
21692447– For hoteliers and tourists who have questions about the announced measures.
5903030 – For elderly persons bereft of support who need medicines, ready-made meals or food products (fruit and vegetables).
This daily update bulletin is being compiled for the Chamber of Advocates by CI Consulta from Corporate ID Group. CI Consulta delivers policy research and analysis, evaluations and impact assessments up to policy implementation and integration.
