LOCAL NEWS
Press Conference by Health Superintendent Prof. Charmaine Gauci (11th May, 1230)
778 tests were carried out yesterday, resulting in 7 new positive cases, taking Malta’s tally to 503. One person recovered during the same time frame. The number of active cases has gone up to 64.
The new cases include a cluster of a mother and her two-year old daughter. Another three healthcare professionals who work at Mater Dei were identified as positive. These workers are employed in the same ward, ENT, where three cases were identified yesterday, taking the cluster to six.
Another healthcare worker employed Karen Grech had no symptoms but was identified through screening at the hospital. One person has been admitted to ITU.
These details were provided by Health Superintendent Prof Charmaine Gauci during her daily press briefing this afternoon. She acknowledged that it was expected that in the transition phase, it was a realistic possibility that the infection rate edges above 1, as has in fact happened in Malta in the past couple of days.
MALTA-24: LOCAL NEWS
Timesofmalta.com
Superintendent for Public Health Charmaine Gauci on Monday defended a decision to shut down the law courts for all but the most urgent cases, saying the decision was warranted by the risks the COVID-19 pandemic posed. Charmaine Gauci was testifying in court on Monday morning in a constitutional case filed by Yorgen Fenech against the State Advocate and the Public Health Authorities. Fenech, who stands accused of complicity in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia is challenging the constitutional validity of a public health emergency order issued by Gauci and his continued detention for an indefinite time.
Looking around the courtroom, Gauci observed that social distancing could not be maintained inside, with those attending the hearing, therefore, having to wear face masks.
Independent
76% find Malta Enterprise efforts laudable – Association of Catering Establishments survey
More than 76 percent of members who took part in a survey by the Association of Catering Establishments (ACE) said they found that the assistance from Malta Enterprise has been praiseworthy albeit not timely as one would wish. Members, however, appreciated the fact that in spite of the huge amount of applications and objections Malta Enterprise has managed to address issues they had, ACE said.
Some 72 percent of the respondents to the survey have not applied for any other assistance other than the wage supplement although many would have wished to be in a position to apply for other funds. The lack of applications is mainly attributable to the fact that they do not qualify for such schemes in view of the criteria in such schemes.
Printed
The Times quotes the president of the Chamber of Commerce David Xuereb who urged government to extend financial aid to all business sectors. Xuereb said that the main priority was not maintaining revenues for companies but protecting the jobs of their employees.
L-Orizzont carries an interview with Finance Minister Edward Scicluna who said that several “shock absorbers” are being applied to the economy to help it move forward throughout the crisis. He said that the country is reaping the fruit of investments made in recent years.
The Independent speaks to a spokesperson from the parliamentary secretariat for citizenship who confirmed that Maltese characters will soon be allowed for registration of names. However, letters cannot be used for surnames because these predate the Maltese alphabet.
In-Nazzjon quotes PN Leader Adrian Delia who said that the nation should take the example of mothers to build a genuinely caring society. The party held a special conference to commemorate Mother’s Day on Sunday.
L-Orizzont quotes Prime Minister Robert Abela who declared that the country is coming out of the coronavirus emergency. He praised authorities for their work throughout the pandemic and said the country was able to find a balance between health and the economy.
The Times reports that Malta’s Ambassador to Finland Michael Zammit Tabona has resigned over a post on social media comparing German Chancellor Angela Merkel to Hitler. The Foreign Affairs Minister said he instructed the ambassador to take down the post.
The Independent says that the Cyber Crime Unit has received 14 reports of sexual abuse on minors, material related to sexual exploitation and defilement from the start of the year. International organisations warned about higher risks tied to increased screen time.
Editorials
The Times of Malta reminds its readers that the monies being spent now to support the economy will eventually have to be repaid, with the unfortunate situation that no one yet knows what the final cost of cushioning its impact on the economy will be. The Editor argues that while existing support measures can, and should, be fine-tuned, business must fully appreciate the substantial costs involved to present and future governments in providing economic shock absorbers during these extraordinarily challenging times.
The Independent tackles the issue of construction waste, insisting that the possibility of dumping at sea should not be considered. The Editor calls for the rehabilitation of quarries and re-using material as much as possible. Refilling these old quarries and making use of perfectly good unused material will not only help solve the construction waste crisis and reduce the amount of ‘new’ stone we produce but will also be greatly beneficial to the environment.
In-Nazzjon celebrates Malta’s links with Europe, quoting former PM George Borg Olivier who had said that both share the same history, culture and lifestyle. EU membership means political and economic stability, argues the Editor, which continues to shield the Maltese population.
L-Orizzont focuses on the need for solidarity in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, with 25 million jobs being lost worldwide. The Editor argues that while the Government in Malta has ensured significant protection for workers, the public can play a role by respecting one and another, without creating new barriers based on our differences, including skin colour, gender, sexual orientation or religion.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
A mysterious illness in the US could be linked to coronavirus in children
A mysterious illness that is affecting children and could be linked to the coronavirus has left officials alarmed and searching for answers as infections increase.
Doctors are referring to the condition that has hospitalized dozens of children as “paediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome,” and health officials believe it could be linked to coronavirus. Three children have died because of it in New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said on Saturday.
New York is investigating if the cases contradict the belief that children are less at risk for coronavirus and what other hospitals should look out for, Cuomo said.
Paediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome does not show the hallmarks of coronavirus in the children who have been diagnosed, Cuomo said. It presents symptoms like Kawasaki disease and toxic shock syndrome. Kawasaki disease causes inflammation in the walls of the arteries and can limit blood flow to the heart. It produces a high temperature lasting over five days, a rash, swollen neck glands, cracked lips, swelling of hands and feet, and redness in both eyes.
EU Corner
Coronavirus Response: EU sets up a Humanitarian Air Bridge
The European Commission has set up an EU Humanitarian Air Bridge to transport humanitarian workers and emergency supplies for the coronavirus response to some of most critical areas around the world.
The first EU flight, operated in cooperation with France, departed this weekend from Lyon and will transport around 60 humanitarian workers from various NGOs and 13 tonnes of humanitarian cargo. Two subsequent humanitarian cargo flights will follow in the coming days to transport a further 27 tonnes of humanitarian supplies in total. On their return leg, the Air Bridge flights will also bring back EU citizens and other passengers from the Central African Republic in a repatriation effort.
More EU humanitarian flights are being scheduled for the coming weeks, prioritising African countries where the pandemic has the potential to worsen many existing humanitarian crises.
More News:
For a Fact-Checked Aggregated Service of CoVid-19 related information, please visit: https://corporatedispatch.com/category/coronavirus/
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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.
