LOCAL NEWS
Press Conference by Health Superintendent Prof. Charmaine Gauci (16th April, 1230)
1022 further swabs carried out yesterday, resulting in 13 new cases. Malta now has 412 positive cases. Prof Gauci said that 82 people have recovered. Malta has 327 active cases of infective persons.
Four more cases were identified at Hal Far tent village following further tests that were carried out yesterday. The immigrants were from Gambia, Bangladesh and two from Sudan.
Malta has carried a total of 21,164 swabs, the third highest per capita around the globe. Prof Gauci said that the majority cases concerned men with 229 cases against 173 in women. (This figure is updated up to the 402nd case identified yesterday). The number of cases among the elderly was significantly lower than those among people in “working age”, which was a reflection of the decisions taken by the authorities to protect the most vulnerable members of society.
The majority of cases were reported in the Northern Harbour region, though Prof Gauci insisted that this mapping was purely indicative since a person could have contracted the infection at the place of work which was in a different geographical location.
Revised rental housing benefits – Minister for Social Accomodation
The Minister for Social Accommodation Roderick Galdes announced revised rental housing benefits in view of the evolving developments related to the coronavirus pandemic. Among other beneficiaries, the self-employed will be among those eligible for new benefits related to social accommodation.
Galdes said that the Maltese government prepared for the eventuality that some might not be able to pay rent. Consequently, the private rent benefit has been revised to reflect current circumstances. This benefit, which was introduced last year, will now take into account the current situation, such as people losing employment, self-employed who are unable to work and persons subjected to abuse. Before these reforms, the scheme was means tested. The Minister welcomed the fact that a number of landlords had lowered payments out of their own will.
Students who applied for foreign exams will get money back
The Malta Independent quotes Education Minister Owen Bonnici who announced that students who have applied for foreign exams which are now cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak, will be able to get their money back.
“We have been informed that those students who have applied for exams such as GCSEs or other foreign exams are able to get their money back. For further details they are to contact the Examination Department,” Owen Bonnici was quoted as saying.
Government processing third batch of social payments
In a Press Conference, Family Minister Michael Falzon announced that Government has yesterday processed the third batch of applications and payments. Those persons who are paid through bank transfers will receive their allowances today. So far, 7,200 people have requested social assistance and 5,000 of these applications have already been processed, with 4,200 of these approved. Government has already allocated €2.6m for such assistance.
Minister Falzon also explained that of the 800 euro that Government is covering for workers’ salaries, 10% is being ring-fenced to cover social salary contributions.
MEDIA COVERAGE
Timesofmalta.com
Government split on making COVID-19 spreading a crime
Government advisors are split over whether to criminalise the wilful spreading of COVID-19, with some saying it could negatively impact efforts to contain the virus.
On Monday, Lovin Malta reported that the government was poised to criminalise the wilful spreading of the coronavirus with jail time of up to nine years. This was reportedly due to happen through an amendment to a section of the Criminal Code which regulates the criminal transmission of diseases.
The reform was first proposed by Malta’s former commissioner for laws, Franco Debono, who last month said the government should add COVID-19 to Article 244A of Malta’s Criminal Code.
This would allow the authorities to impose prison sentences of up to nine years for “malicious and voluntary spreading of diseases” and six months for “negligent and careless transmission of such diseases”.
Maltatoday
WHO to issue guidelines for ‘gradual’ COVID-19 exit strategy in Europe
Lifting coronavirus restrictions in Europe will depend on the ability of individual countries to fulfil six criteria the WHO regional office will discuss with health ministers tomorrow.
However, WHO Europe regional office director Hans Kluge warned that restrictions will have to be lifted gradually and there were “no quick wins”.
“There is no fast track back to normality and if a country cannot ensure that the six criteria can be met, I urge them to re-think the easing of restrictions,” Kluge said during a briefing on Thursday.
Countries will have to be able to demonstrate an ability to identify and isolate suspect COVID-19 cases immediately and monitor close contacts.
COVID-19 economic impact likely to be bigger than IMF predictions
A day after the International Monetary Fund’s economic forecast predicted a 2.8% contraction in Malta’s economy in 2020 due to the impact of COVID-19, doubts have been cast over the “overly optimistic” assessment.
The IMF said that Malta’s economy would shrink by 2.8%, representing a negative shift of over 7 percentage points from 2019, with the government highlighting that this would mean the country would suffer the least impact in the entire EU.
A spokesperson for the Malta Chamber of Commerce, however, told sister publication BusinessToday that the IMF’s forecast was being deemed “understated” based on the continuous feedback from its members. “The Malta Chamber understands that this forecast, as worked out by the IMF, is based on a timeframe of economic effects that are brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic which is significantly shorter than any estimate which the Chamber is deeming realistic at this stage,” the spokesperson said.
Printed
Business Today carries reactions by economists and the Chamber of Commerce who said that predictions by the IMF that Malta’s economic performance will shrink by seven percent this year is ‘overly optimistic’.
The Malta Business Weekly says that three of the six new Covid-19 cases recorded on Wednesday were migrants, resident at the Ħal Far centre. Cases among migrants in the facility have increased to 20 since the start of the outbreak.
In-Nazzjon follows a meeting between PN Leader Adrian Delia and EU Commissioner for immigration Ylva Johansson. Delia argued that migrants without the right for asylum should be repatriated while the others shared with other EU member states to ease crowding.
L-Orizzont reports that the General Workers Union helped to save some 600 jobs at Air Malta after talks with the employers. Secretary General Josef Bugeja said that the union wanted guarantees for job security.
The Malta Business Weekly says that aviation company Medavia has laid off all of its pilots and crew. In a statement, the company said that the coronavirus has had a “devastating effect” that left it with no choice but to make redundancies.
The Malta Business Weekly reports that US President Donald Trump has suspended payments to the World Health Organisation. The US is the organisation’s biggest donor contributing $400 million a year, although it finds itself $200 million in arrears.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Nearly 700 French sailors have tested positive for the coronavirus
Nearly 700 sailors assigned to the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle’s naval group have tested positive for the coronavirus, the armed forces ministry said on Wednesday.
The ministry said 1,767 mariners, nearly all from the Charles de Gaulle itself, had been tested and results showed at least 668 to be infected with the new coronavirus. Results are still not in from a third of the tests.
“Thirty-one personnel are today in hospital,” it said in a statement. “More tests are being carried out.”
Local infections rise in China
China reported on Thursday fewer new coronavirus cases involving travellers arriving from overseas, but locally transmitted infections rose, with the Chinese capital seeing new local cases for the first time in more than three weeks.
New imported cases dropped to 34 on Wednesday from 36 a day earlier, the National Health Commission said, down for the third straight day, amid stringent border checks and reduced international flights.
But the number of locally transmitted cases rose to 12 from 10 a day earlier, with the city of Beijing seeing three new local cases for the first time since March 23.
EU Corner
EP to discuss, vote on latest support measures supporting EU countries
The European Parliament will meet in plenary today and tomorrow to debate and vote on the latest Commission proposals to address the effects of the Covid-19 outbreak in the EU.
MEPs are expected to vote on €3 billion in emergency support for the health sectors of the most affected EU countries as well as on a scheme to procure medical supplies for member states facing shortages. The package also includes additional funds for the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and support to help Greece deal with increased migratory pressures.
MEPs are also expected to approve special measures to help the poorest and most vulnerable EU citizens, including with protective equipment and the delivery of food aid.
Parliament votes on exceptional measures to allow more flexibility in the use of EU cohesion and structural funding to alleviate the effects of the coronavirus, as well as on financial assistance to protect hard-hit fishing communities and aquaculture farmers from the pandemic.
Also on the agenda is a debate with the Council and the Commission on EU-coordinated action to combat the Covid-19 pandemic and its consequences.
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