LOCAL NEWS
Press Conference by Health Superintendent Prof. Charmaine Gauci (12th May, 1230)
One person has recovered today, an elderly man who had originally been admitted to the ITU and the only patient in Malta that so far required the use of a ventilator.
1,241 tests were carried out in the past 24 hours, resulting in three new positive cases, taking the country’s total to 506. All three cases are related to previously identified clusters, two of them healthcare workers related to the case identified at the ENT ward in Mater Dei.
Prof Gauci announced that all migrants that are currently on boats off the Maltese shores have all resulted negative.
MALTA-24: LOCAL NEWS
Timesofmalta.com
SkolaSajf plans continue despite concerns
The authorities are preparing for “all scenarios” should the re-opening of schools in July for the summer programme go ahead, an Education Ministry spokesman has said.
That includes re-opening schools “under certain limitations or conditions”.
A number of teachers have expressed concern that it might be too early to re-open schools for the summer as the country is still battling the coronavirus outbreak.
The teachers made their views public after Education Minister Owen Bonnici confirmed the government plans to re-open schools for the summer programme starting in July.
This, he said, would only be done with the public health authorities’ blessing.
Public Health Superintendent Charmaine Gauci, who is the one who needs to give the go-ahead for a decision of this sort, has refused to say what her position on the matter is.
Independent
Covid-19 reproduction ratio at 0.65, this week pivotal to understand impact of relaxed measures
The effective reproduction ratio for Covid-19 in Malta stands at 0.65, but this week is a pivotal one to understand impact of new measures, statistician Vincent Marmara told The Malta Independent.
The reproduction ratio of the virus is one of the key figures which countries across the world have been trying to reduce ever since the Covid-19 pandemic began. The aim for countries has been to reduce the ratio to a level of 1 – which would mean that one person would transmit the virus to one other person.
Much has been said of that increase, however Marmara said that things must be taken into perspective and note that certain restrictions have been reduced. He noted that one cannot take the case count of just the last two days and use them to say that the situation has changed. The existences of specific clusters within these cases must also be taken into account as well, Marmara observed.
Maltatoday.com.mt
Uncertainty biggest headache for Malta tour operators trying to look ahead
The lack of short and long-term foresight over how the coronavirus scenario will play out is proving to be the biggest headache for travel operators.
As the pandemic spreads across the globe, the situation is looking even bleaker for the tourism industry, which has been among the worst hit industries by the virus.
Britannia Tours managing director Noel Farrugia said travel operators went from a very good 2019, to zero revenue in the space of two months. “As soon as the pandemic started making its way to Europe and neighbouring countries, people just stopped wanting to go abroad,” he said.
Printed
The Times quotes Prime Minister Robert Abela who told parliament that the tourist boats holding migrants at sea cost a total €6,000 daily. A Captain Morgan boat was sent out on May 1, with a second out sailing out a week later.
In-Nazzjon says that the government has not reacted to a report by the Commissioner of Standards in Public Life showing that ministers have used public funds to boost content on their personal social media sites.
The Times reports that the rate of sexually transmitted diseases in Malta has dropped significantly since social distancing rules were imposed. The head to the GU clinic at Mater Dei said the number of cases was considered high before the outbreak.
The Independent quotes the 2019 annual report of the financial services watchdog which prioritises the fight against money laundering and financial crimes. The paper says the sector represents five percent of total employment in Malta.
L-Orizzont quotes the Dean of the Faculty of Social Wellbeing Andrew Azzopardi who said that the pandemic has demonstrated the effectiveness of female leadership. Prof. Azzopardi said that the country would be better off with more women in leadership positions.
Editorials
The Independent calls for better clarity and coordination in the messaging relating to the situation in Malta and the easing of social restrictions. The Editor argues that despite the need for social distancing to continue, some statements made by the government – including by the Prime Minister – are getting people’s hopes up quite early, which could in turn have negative consequences. Such statements could not only be dangerous in terms of people believing that things are back to normal, but have also at times contradicted what the health authorities have said.
The Times focuses on the tourism industry, stating that Malta’s reliance on air travel for connectivity with the rest of the world presents a daunting challenge for political and business leaders struggling to keep the country’s economy on an even keel. The best strategy to combat this turbulence is one based on collecting and studying medical and economic data daily. Action needs to be taken based on scientific data rather than aspirational objectives.
In-Nazzjon recalls May as the month of four important celebrations, the feast of San Gorg Preca, the electoral victory that returned the PN to government in 1987, Europe Day and the birth of Raymond Caruana, the political activist assassinated during the politically violent years of the Early Eighties. The Editor links these anniversaries as important milestones in the history of our country.
L-Orizzont highlights a recent survey on the judicial sector which found that the Maltese public increasingly trusted the judiciary. The Editor attributes these results to important reforms carried out in the previous years but says more, particularly by increasing the number of judges and magistrates which remains among the lowest in Europe.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Ryanair announces plans to return to 40% of normal flight schedules from July
Low-cost airline Ryanair has announced plans to return to 40% of normal flight schedules from 1st July 2020, subject to Government restrictions on intra-EU flights being lifted, and effective public health measures being put in place at airports. Ryanair will operate a daily flight schedule of almost 1,000 flights, restoring 90% of its pre-Covid- 19 route network.
Since the Covid-19 flight restrictions in mid-March, Ryanair has been operating a skeleton daily schedule of 30 flights between Ireland, the UK and Europe. From July, Ryanair will restart flying from most of its 80 bases across Europe. There will be fewer daily/weekly frequencies on trunk routes, as Ryanair works to restore some services on the widest number of routes, rather than operating high frequency services on a small number.
EU Corner
EPP urges strong action to save Europe’s Summer
The EPP Group in the European Parliament is calling for unified European health checks and sanitary protocols for travelling and tourism, the non-discriminatory re-opening of internal European borders and targeted measures to massively aid the tourism industry after the pandemic.
The EPP Group also warns against unnecessary, prolonged internal border closures. “The closure of borders was necessary at the start of the epidemic to stop cross-border contagion. As Member States enter into exit strategies, with comprehensive internal measures in place, it is necessary to examine whether closed borders across our Schengen Zone is still required. There are options that allow for health checks and contagion control measures without sealing off our internal borders entirely”, said Metsola, the EPP Group’s Spokeswoman on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs.
“As lockdown measures are being eased across Europe, we call on the European Commission for a targeted action plan to kick-start the tourism sector, which is so crucial for the European economy. The future of tourism businesses, hotels, airlines, travel agencies, restaurants, often family-owned, depends on support from the EU. Ensuring immediate financial support and a coordinated exit strategy will not only help tourism regions, but also rebuild the trust and confidence of all citizens who would like to go on summer holiday”, said Marinescu, the EPP Group’s Spokesman on Transport and Tourism.
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