LOCAL NEWS
Press Conference by Health Superintendent (6th April 1230 hrs)
Fourteen cases were reported today, including two Gozitans, one of them an elderly patient currently being treated in the Gozo General Hospital. These cases were the result of 555 swab tests carried out during the past 24 hours. Malta has now registered a total of 241 cases.
The cases also include three patients at Mount Carmel Hospital, one Maltese, an Egyptian and a Libyan. Three other new positive patients were aged over 60.
Two more patients were identified after being admitted to Mater Dei for reasons other than Covid-19 and being screened prior to hospitalisation.
Prof Gauci confirmed that five persons have recovered but will still have to observe a fourteen-day quarantine period.
Press Conference by Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne and Internal Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri
All residents in Hal Far Open Centre under quarantine – DPM Chris Fearne
Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne said that during the past three days a cluster of eight cases at the Hal Far Open Centre has been identified. Although the infected persons were isolated, however there is a possibility that the virus might have been transmitted to other residents of the centre. For this reason, all persons living in the Open Centre will be asked to quarantine for fourteen days.
Government will increase its medical presence in the Centre, also thanks to the collaboration of the Malta Red Cross. Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri said there are currently more than a 1,000 persons living in the Centre. No other persons besides those who work in the Centre will be allowed. Camilleri indicated that the UNHCR was involved in this decision and in the necessary arrangements to enforce it, particularly to ensure language support and the provision of the necessary medical support.
The eight persons who have been identified as positive have been completely segregated from the rest and are receiving the necessary treatment.
The Home Affairs Minister announced that Law enforcement officers are currently on site to ensure this quarantine is observed. He said that this decision has been agreed earlier today but was only being communicated this evening to ensure that immigrants returned to the Centre after their evening curfew. He also appealed to employers not to expect or obliged these persons to report to work.
Camilleri insisted that this decision is being taken – and explained to the same immigrants – in their own interest and in the interest of the rest of society. Infected persons will be treated with the best care possible irrespective of race, nationality or other factors. On the other hand employees will be provided the necessary support and protective wear, while their contact with residents will be significantly reduced.
Health Superintendent Prof Charmaine Gauci said that this decision was necessitated by the fact that there was mingling between residents and therefore the virus was being spread beyond members of the same cabin. Further tests will be undertaken in the next few days on those residents who show symptoms.
Statement by Gozo Business Chamber and Gozo Tourism Association
The Gozo Business Chamber (GBC) and the Gozo Tourism Association (GTA) described the recent scheme launched by the Malta Development Bank providing for a guarantee scheme as “not attractive to all business operators”.
The MDB COVID-19 Guarantee Scheme (CGS), is considered as a main pillar of Government’s COVID-19 Response Support Programme.
Enforcement notifications
Sunday’s sunshine seems to have encourage more than a few groups to gather against the Authorities’ directions, leading to 81 persons being fined €100 fine each during patrols conducted by Police to ensure that there are no groups of more than 3 people gathered in public places as per the legal notice issued by the government. However, for the third day running, no one was found breaching the obligatory quarantine.
Two establishments were found to have breached the regulations imposed for them to remain closed in order to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.
These two outlets were a kiosk in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq which was serving beer, and the other as a bar in Ħamrun which was found with clients inside drinking and listening to music. The owners were fined €3,000 each, with the Ħamrun bar also being served with an enforcement notice.
MEDIA COVERAGE
Maltatoday
Three more people have recovered from coronavirus
There was some good news on Sunday evening as Health Minister Chris Fearne announced that three more people had fully recovered from the coronavirus.
This means that five people in all have recovered from the virus since the outbreak started in Malta on 7 March.
The three cases, include a 12-year-old girl, who was the first to be diagnosed with Covid- 19.
People are declared to be fully recovered when having two negative tests in 24 hours.
TVM
Ħaddiem tal-Playmobil għandu l-Covid-19 – ittieħdu l-prekawzjonijiet (Playmobil employee found Covid-19 positive: precautions taken)
TVM is reporting that a Playmobil employee has reportedly being found positive to the virus. He tested positive on Saturday, and had reported to work on Friday. In a memo sent to all employees, management indicated that the employee did not experience any symptoms while at work, and that these had started a number of hours after he left. The company said that the employee works in a segregated zone on the Injection Department, and after the necessary contact tracing took place, no one else was exposed. However, one employee was placed under quarantine.
Printed
The Times says that the migrants’ open centre in Ħal Far has been placed under quarantine following eight reported cases of Covid-19 in that last days. Patients who tested positive are being kept in isolation.
L-Orizzont quotes Public Health Superintendent Charmaine Gauci who announced that another three Covid-19 patients recovered fully. This brings the number of recoveries to five since the start of the pandemic.
The Independent speaks to the president of the Chamber of Advocates, Louis de Gabriele, who said that the profession is feeling the effects of the coronavirus emergency, too. Lawyers and law firms have been directly hit by the closure of the courts.
L-Orizzont says that the Family Ministry will start distribution of foods to families in need towards the end of April.
The State Funded Food Distribution Scheme will reach just under 20,000 beneficiaries. It also speaks to sociologist Maria Brown who warned that the crisis can increase the number of people living in poverty as families try to reduce their spending on basic needs like food and children’s learning,
In-Nazzjon announces that the Catholic Church has officially started Holy Week on Palm Sunday. It says that the celebrations this year are historically unprecedented, and the liturgical rites have been held throughout war, famine and poverty.
Editorials
The Times of Malta considers the recent re-emergency of the utility of facemasks as a tool to combat the spread of the virus. While noting that the World Health Organisation has not given its go-ahead for their use, it is also the case that the UN agency has all too often been reactive in this crisis rather than proactive.
Given the urgent need of containing the spread of CoVId-19, the Editor calls on the Authorities to look at the evidence from countries where mask-wearing is the norm, or has become mandatory, rather than wait for a protocol from an organisation that has to take into consideration the resources and capabilities of all countries. However, the Editor opines that if the health authorities do take the step and enforce mask wearing on a mass scale, these masks would have to be made available.
L-Orizzont writes about Government’s economic aid package, which has been estimated as the seventh largest in the world. While the EU has recommended that Member States spend at least 1% of their GDP on recovery measures, the Maltese Government will be committing at least 1.6% for this objective.
This was possible, concludes the Editor, thanks to sound financial management which has yielded a surplus.
In-Nazzjon calls for reflection throughout Easter Week. While encouraging readers to focus on the things that matters most in life, it ends on encouraging note, and calls on the public not to give up saying that hope is the last to fade away.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Deaths in Spain decline for fourth consecutive day, victims include 10 doctors
In Spain, the daily number of deaths has declined for the fourth consecutive day, raising
tentative hopes that the worst of the country’s outbreak is over.
The daily death toll on Monday was recorded at 637, the lowest number reported since March 24.
The country remains one of the world’s hardest-hit by the pandemic, with 13,055 deaths. Another 135,032 people have tested positive for the virus, according to the health ministry.
The country’s victims include 10 doctors, a nurse and an auxiliary nurse. More than 15,000 healthcare workers have tested positive for the virus, after a shortage of supplies forced them to resort to homemade protective gear as they battled one of the world’s fastest spreading outbreaks.
Germany reports fourth straight drop in daily rate of new coronavirus infections
Germany’s confirmed coronavirus infections rose by 3,677 in the past 24 hours to 95,391 on Monday, the fourth straight drop in the daily rate of new cases, according to data from the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases. The number of new cases was lower than the 5,936 new infections reported on Sunday.
The reported death toll rose by 92 to 1,434.
EU Corner
“No single country will be left behind in this crisis” says EU Commissioner for Internal Market
“Not one single country on the planet has been prepared, fully prepared, for this kind of crisis. No one.” Those were the words of the man at the heart of the EU’s fight against the coronavirus pandemic, EU Commissioner for Internal Market, Thierry Breton.
COVID-19 is stretching Europe to its limits, exposing the bloc’s weaknesses and straining solidarity between members.
Vital medical equipment has been running out, critical supply chains have been disrupted and hundreds of thousands of people have lost their jobs, bringing businesses and industry to their knees.
Europe was caught off guard by the crisis, but now, says Breton, it’s getting a battle plan in place.
In an interview with Euronews, he also said, “no single country will be left behind in this crisis.”
Commission approves £50 billion UK “umbrella” scheme to support the economy in the coronavirus outbreak
The European Commission has approved a £50 billion (approximately €57 billion) “umbrella” UK scheme to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and large corporates in the United Kingdom affected by the coronavirus outbreak. The scheme was approved under the State aid Temporary Framework adopted by the Commission on 19 March 2020, as amended on 3 April 2020.
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).
25469111 – For those who work in the gaming industry.
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.
