Updated 1344
Opposition Leader Adrian Delia insisted that Government should take over the three hospitals sold off to “criminals”, which has resulted in these hospitals being abandoned for six whole years. Delia recalled that Government had signed a secret deal with Vitals Global Healthcare, which then sold off the hospitals at a massive profit to Steward Healthcare.
The Opposition insisted that the country has to resort to pre-fabricated hospitals because it cannot use the existent infrastructure (St. Luke’s, Karin Grech and Gozo Hospital) which has been sold off to third parties in a very shady manner.
Opposition MP Stephen Spiteri insisted that Government should be proactive in its approach. Malta had the benefit whereby the virus was first diagnosed locally later than other countries, allowing us the opportunity to study and improve on decisions taken elsewhere.
Former Deputy Leader Mario De Marco insisted that there is no one in the country who doubts that the Vitals deal was a case of daylight robbery. He called on Minister Edward Scicluna to shoulder responsibility. De Marco added that the Minister abdicated from his responsibilities – had he done his work properly, he would never have allowed a contract worth billions to a startup company which had no prior experience in healthcare. Neither Vitals nor Steward would have been paid for work which they have not done. Edward Scicluna allowed former Minister Konrad Mizzi to enter another clause imposing a 100 million euro fine should the State cancel out the contract – even if Vitals or Steward fail to deliver on their commitments.
Updated 1239
Seven new cases registered today
Health Superintendent Prof Gauci said that 738 swabs were taken in the past 24 hours, resulting in seven new cases. Six related to local transmission and one case is travel-related. There are two patients in ITU, one in critical condition.
The travel case relates to another positive patient which had travelled to Morocco.
Of the locally transmitted cases, a number had reported to work despite experiencing symptoms. A number of persons are being quarantined as a result.
The patients infected from local transmission also include a healthcare worker who had last reported to work the day before experiencing symptoms. Consequently, a number of colleagues being placed in quarantine.
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After a relatively ‘calm’ weekend with single digit increases, Malta registered an acceleration in cases these past two days. With 32 new cases over the Monday and Tuesday, Malta now has 188 patients infected with the virus. While the majority are recovering at home, one remains in critical condition.
We would like to remind our readers that in view that one of the latest positive cases concerns a Lidl employee based in the Safi outlet, although contact with shoppers was restricted, anyone visiting the outlet after 26th March should contact 111 if they experience symptoms.
In a Press Conference by Minister Carmelo Abela yesterday afternoon, Government clarified that employers who are unable to top up salaries with the amount due over the 800 euro allocated by Government are to seek the authorisation of the Department of Employment and Industrial Relations.
During the video conference, Minister Abela announced a new helpline managed by the Department which will assist all those employees and employers with their queries about work conditions and mandatory quarantine leave in Covid-19 times.
The helpline numbers are as follows: 1575 for employees and 1576 for employers. Minister Abela explained that through this helpline one may seek advice about a number of different issues such as work conditions, quarantine leave, payment rates, reduced hours, unpaid leave, forced leave and collective redundancies. These helplines will be available from Monday to Friday, between 08:00 and 16:00. Anyone needing to clarify issues may also do so via email on info.dier@gov.mt. The helplines will be operated by a team of 16 professionals with 8 people per line.
The Minister also provided an overview of the work which the Department has been doing in relation to this situation and stated that as from the 9th of March 2020, it has received a total average of 6,000 calls and emails with questions about work conditions in these times.
Meanwhile, the Nationalist Party upped its calls for a reduction in utility tariffs and fuel prices, presenting a six-point plan which proposes revisions in the way bills are computed, while insisting the prices at the pump should go down in view of the significant decreases in the international price of oil.
CDE News
