Coronavirus

CoVid 19 Update – Italy

There have now been over 2,000 coronavirus victims in Italy, 2,158, a rise of 349 on Sunday, Emergency Commissioner and Civil Protection Chief Angelo Borrelli said Monday. The previous day's…

Read More Here

Boris Johnson calls on people in the UK to work from home where they can and to avoid unnecessary social contact

Boris Johnson has told Britons to avoid pubs, clubs, restaurants and theatres and to only make essential journeys in the "national fightback" against coronavirus. The prime minister told a Downing…

Read More Here

Microsoft launches a coronavirus tracker dashboard on Bing

Microsoft rolled out a new live dashboard to track the COVID-19 outbreak. The company said its aggregating data for the dashboard from trusted sources like the World Health Organization (WHO), the…

Read More Here

Emirates suspends flights to Malta, Porto and Larnaca

Emirates has suspended services to 30 destinations across its network in a bid to comply with travel restrictions introduced to prevent the spread of Covid-19 by air travel. The latest…

Read More Here

Wash your hands with Mariah Carey and her twins . . .

Every parent can relate – washing hands properly has become synonymous with keeping healthy. And what could be more fun than washing your hands while singing along with Mariah Carey!…

Read More Here

Special hours in Australia for shopping by elderly, people with disabilities

Woolworths in Australia has introduced special hours in its supermarkets to ensure that elderly and people with disabilities will be able to shop in less crowded aisles during the coronavirus…

Read More Here

CoVid 19 Malta Bulletin – Monday 16th March 2020

Updated 17:07 Prime Minister Robert Abela has announced that as from midnight tomorrow restaurants, bars, cinemas, gyms and local clubs (kazini) are to remain closed. Deliveries and take-aways will be…

Read More Here

Airlines slash more flights, Tui cancels the “vast majority” of its holidays

Travel restrictions and a slump in demand as a result of the coronavirus pandemic have forced airlines to lay off staff and cut more flights. On Monday, British Airways owner…

Read More Here

Georgia bans all foreigners from entering country over coronavirus

Georgia on Monday banned all foreigners from entering the country over coronavirus concerns the prime minister’s spokesman, Irakli Chikovani, told a briefing. Georgia has reported 33 confirmed cases of…

Read More Here

European Union introduces 30-day restriction on all-non essential travel

The European Union has introduced a 30-day restriction on all non-essential travel to the bloc in a bid to contain the coronavirus outbreak. The European Union's executive on Monday proposed…

Read More Here

Spanish government puts private healthcare firms at the orders of the regions

The Spanish government has decided to implement never-before-seen measures in terms of the country’s healthcare system, in a bid to combat the spread of the coronavirus. Speaking at a…

Read More Here

Germany’s Bavaria announces fund of up to 10 billion euros to reduce coronavirus impact

Germany’s southern state of Bavaria on Monday announced a fund worth up to 10 billion euros ($11.21 billion) to help the region withstand the coronavirus outbreak, its premier said, declaring…

Read More Here

Colombia bans entry of non-residents, expels foreigners who break quarantine rules

Colombian President Ivan Duque announced strict measures Sunday to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, including blocking entry to the country to all except citizens and residents and shutting…

Read More Here

Israel takes step toward monitoring phones of coronavirus patients

Israel has long been known for its use of technology to track the movements of Palestinian militants. Now, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to use similar technology to stop the…

Read More Here

Pakistan shuts border with Iran, Afghanistan over coronavirus

Pakistan closed its borders with Iran and Afghanistan on Monday for two weeks amid the novel coronavirus outbreak. All education institutions across the country also shut down from today following…

Read More Here

Valle d’Aosta in Italy forbids entry to non-residents

The president of the Valle d'Aosta region, Renzo Testolin, has issued an ordinance prohibiting non-residents from entering Valle d'Aosta and invited those present in the territory to return home. Four…

Read More Here

Hungary to shut borders, preparing fiscal, monetary response to coronavirus

Hungary will close its borders, postpone cultural and sports events and take fiscal and monetary steps to try to contain the spread of the coronavirus, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said…

Read More Here

Celebrating mass with a difference

Don Giuseppe Corbari, a priest in the parish of Robbiano di Giussano, a small centre in Brianza, has celebrated mass with a difference. Seeing that his parishioners cannot attend church…

Read More Here

Swiss army prepares to deploy to help coronavirus response

Switzerland’s militia army is getting ready to increase its support in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, which has infected over 1,500 people nationwide. For the first time, the Swiss…

Read More Here

Coronavirus precautions in Lebanon increase

Workers spray disinfectant as a precaution against the spread of coronavirus and COVID-19 in Beirut, Lebanon, 16 March 2020. According to reports, Lebanon registered its third death from the COVID-19…

Read More Here

More African nations impose travel restrictions over coronavirus

An increasing numbers of African countries are confirming coronavirus cases, prompting many to announce measures to control the spread of the virus. Ghana is the latest nation to ban entry…

Read More Here

Global deaths and infections overtake those inside China

Global deaths and infections from the coronavirus have surpassed those inside China for the first time since the beginning of the outbreak. Worldwide infections have grown to more than 87,000,…

Read More Here

France’s coronavirus situation ‘deteriorating very fast’

The coronavirus outbreak in France is "very worrying" and "deteriorating very fast", the head of the country's health service said Monday. "The number of cases double every three days," Jerome…

Read More Here

Germany latest country to close borders

Germany has become the latest country to close borders as European nations try to stem the spread of the coronavirus. Its borders with France, Austria and Switzerland were shut…

Read More Here

Metro Manila goes under quarantine amid coronavirus pandemic

A Philippine Army soldier uses a thermal scanner to check body temperature of a vehicle driver entering a quarantine border of Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines 16 March 2020. Philippine…

Read More Here

Macron, Merkel to discuss coronavirus, borders

French President Emmanuel Macron will discuss the coronavirus and the topic of border controls on Monday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and leading EU officials Charles Michel and Ursula…

Read More Here

EasyJet warns majority of fleet could be grounded as airlines enter critical week

On Monday morning, easyJet said it would continue to operate rescue flights for short periods "where we can" to repatriate passengers; however, it would also be cutting operations further. "These…

Read More Here

Spain considering closing borders

Closing Spain’s borders is among the options under consideration to help stem the coronavirus outbreak, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska told radio station Cadena Ser on Monday. Marlaska said he…

Read More Here

Italy ready to offer further measures to support businesses

Italy’s government is ready to intervene again if needed as measures approved so far are not enough to support businesses through the coronavirus crisis, Italy’s Prime Minister said on Monday.…

Read More Here

Turkey reports new cases of coronavirus, bars and nightclubs ordered to close

Turkey reported 12 new cases of the virus on Monday, its highest daily rise since the country announced its first case last week. Two of the new cases were related…

Read More Here

Schools, bars to close from today in the Netherlands, concern on movement from Belgium

The Dutch government has announced that schools and childcare centers throughout the country will be closed from Monday. Schools will only be open for children of parents who have vital…

Read More Here

Western Australia freezes ‘all household fees’ as part of a major economic relief package

The Australian state of Western Australia has frozen all household fees, including electricity, water, public transport fares and motor vehicles charges. The state has declared a state of emergency. WA…

Read More Here

Canada not ruling out closing borders, nationwide appeal for nurses

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Sunday said he would not rule out closing the nation's borders or forcing people arriving from abroad to go into self-isolation to help combat…

Read More Here

EU plans to agree coordinated economic coronavirus response on Monday

European Union finance ministers plan to agree on Monday on a coordinated economic response to the coronavirus pandemic, with the European Commission forecasting the effects of the virus could push…

Read More Here

EU states record highest one-day death toll

The three states bearing the brunt of the coronavirus pandemic in Europe have all recorded their highest death tolls for a single day. Italy saw 368 deaths bring its total…

Read More Here

Morocco suspends all international flights as cases increase

The Moroccan government suspended all international air routes to and from its territory until further notice. Morocco’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the decision in a press release on Sunday,…

Read More Here

Serbia introduces state of emergency, borders closed to foreigners

A Serbian flag files over the Palace of Serbia in Belgrade, Serbia, 15 March 2020. On Sunday, the Serbian authorities declared the state of emergency on Sunday over the situation…

Read More Here

Danish government will pay 75% of threatened private sector salaries

Denmark is planning to pay employees in the private sector 75% of their salary if there is no guarantee they can work because of the Coronavirus crisis. The decision comes…

Read More Here

U.S. to start coronavirus vaccine trial, a year to 18 months to fully validate any potential vaccine

The first participant in a clinical trial for a vaccine to protect against the new coronavirus will receive an experimental dose on Monday, according to a government official. The National…

Read More Here

New York and LA limit people’s movement to avert spread of COVID-19

New York's mayor has ordered restaurants, bars and cafes to only sell food on a take-away or delivery basis as the city battles to halt the spread of COVID-19. Bill…

Read More Here

Spanish Army disinfects train stations, population shows gratitude to health workers as country’s death toll doubles

Army specialists in protective suits sprayed disinfectant in train stations and police in surgical masks ordered casual strollers to go home on Sunday after Spain clamped down during a coronavirus…

Read More Here

Cool measures to curb coronavirus risks in Malta

Cool ride-pooling has put a series of precautionary measures into action to ensure the safety of clients and employees in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak. The service will be…

Read More Here

All air and sea passenger transport in Sicily to stop, freight transport to be guaranteed

The Italian Minister of Transport Paola De Micheli is preparing to adopt, at the request of the President of the Sicilian Region Nello Musumeci, a series of measures to contain…

Read More Here

LVMH converts three of its perfume manufacturing facilities to make hand sanitiser instead

The French luxury goods group LVMH is to start producing hand sanitiser at three of its perfume and cosmetics factories for distribution to French hospitals fighting the country’s coronavirus outbreak.…

Read More Here

Italy World Cup Champions back ‘in action’ to beat the CoVid Challenge

The players who in 2006 won the World Cup is back in action as it prepares to give their part to win a new challenge, this time the coronavirus. The…

Read More Here

EU-wide export ban for medical protective equipment

Brussels on Sunday imposed an EU-wide export ban for some medical protective equipment in a bid to keep sufficient supplies within the bloc, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen…

Read More Here

CoVid19 will circulate for 12 months, 7.9 million British will be hospitalised

The coronavirus epidemic in the UK will last until next spring and could lead to 7.9 million people being hospitalised, a secret Public Health England (PHE) briefing for senior NHS…

Read More Here

Polish government and Lot Polish airlines organising repatriation operation

In the wake of suspended air connections to and from abroad, the Polish government in cooperation with the state flag carrier LOT Airlines are organising special charter flights to various…

Read More Here

Polish chemist reported to have made breakthrough discovery in CoVid19 treatment

A Polish chemist from the Wrocław University of Technology, Prof. Maciej Drąg and his team of researchers, together with their counterparts at Lubeck University in Germany have made a breakthrough…

Read More Here

Standing ovation to a hero…

Deserted roads, sounds of sirens are becoming the common scene in most of Italy. The situation is dramatic and brings memories of war time Italy. This time, the people in…

Read More Here

Length of obituary pages in newspapers indicate extent of Italy’s darkest hour

The heavy toll coronavirus has taken on northern Italy has been highlighted in devastating footage of a newspaper’s obituary section. A reader of the L’Eco di Bergamo – a daily…

Read More Here

International travel and internal movement in many countries set to be restricted in coming days

International travel and internal movement in many countries will be severely curtailed by restrictions set to come into effect over the coming days. Walls are being raised and mass quarantines…

Read More Here

Co-Vid19 Update – Italy

The death toll of coronavirus victims in Italy reached 1,809. Over the past 24 hours there was an increase of 368 deaths. On Saturday, this went up by 175. 2,335 people…

Read More Here

Vatican Holy Week celebrations will take place without physical presence of faithful

The Prefecture of the Papal Household announced that Holy Week celebrations in Rome will take place without the physical presence of the faithful, in an attempt to contain the spread…

Read More Here

Aviation and air travel hit significantly by CoVid19 outbreak

The international travel industry faces a widespread shutdown over coronavirus fears after airlines announced new flight reductions and more countries introduced travel bans and isolation requirements. Travel businesses were hit…

Read More Here

Governments intensify search for ventilators

Governments across Europe have intensified their search for ventilators as doctors and hospitals prepare for a continuing surge in patients infected with the Covid-19 virus. Ventilators are machines designed to…

Read More Here

Businesses need bailouts – Maltese Chamber of SMEs

The Chamber of SME's in a statement said that the announced support measures will have no impact and are no way close to what businesses need in order to sustain…

Read More Here