Healthcare

UK unions and business leaders welcome government’s decision to pick up wages of workers

Union and business leaders have largely welcomed news that the government will pick up "most of" the wages of workers as the coronavirus pandemic continues to shred the UK economy.…

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Now is the time to help each other… Corporate ID Group’s A4L supporting Malta Together initiative

Several individuals have contacted the Corporate ID Group to provide support to those in at this unprecedented time in living history. We believe in synergies and as such apart from…

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Germany may enforce nationwide curfew to enforce ‘social-distancing’

Germany may enforce a nationwide curfew if the country's 83 million people fail to keep their distance from each other this weekend to curb the spread of coronavirus, government and…

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Ireland’s government considering plans to pay up to 75% of wages

Ireland's government is considering plans to pay up to 75% of the wages of thousands of staff temporarily laid off as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the Irish Times…

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Covid-19 Malta Daily Bulletin – Saturday 21st March 2020

Update 12:34 Prof Gauci announced that nine new cases were reported, from 233 swabs taken. These concern six Maltese nationals, a British woman, a Somali and an Indian. Two of…

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“Everything started from the 40,000 supporters at San Siro watching Atalanta-Valencia” – Prof. Francesco Le Foche

According to the experts, the football game between Atalanta and Valencia played at San Siro on the 19th February is the underlying reason for the outbreak of the epidemic in…

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Coronavirus: NGOs are stopping their rescue missions on the sea

“The pandemic is forcing us to freeze our activities. This is a necessary decision, despite the fact that the embarkments have started again,” said a spokesperson from Mediterranea. Ocean Viking,…

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Poland declares ‘state of epidemic’

Poland is moving into a "state of epidemic" — which gives central and regional governments greater powers to deal with a crisis — Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced at a press…

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Spain braced to become next Italy

Doctors in Spain are preparing to make difficult decisions as the number of coronavirus patients in intensive care continues to rise. Hospitals in hard-hit regions like Madrid are quickly reaching…

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What are the employer and employee rights and duties when implementing teleworking arrangements?

On Friday the 20th of March 2020, the Superintendent for Public Health of Malta announced that Malta had 11 new confirmed cases of coronavirus. The “eighth case”, as identified by the…

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The face of business

In less than a week we have seen businesses, small and large, mobilise to adjust to the Covid-19 emergency. Some companies have shifted operations away from their corporate bases to…

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Dutch PM appoints opposition MP as country’s new health minister to combat Covid-19 spread

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has appointed an opposition MP as the country’s new health minister to help combat the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Martin van Rijn, the former…

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A message to the Maltese by Dr Konrad Borg – Consultant at MaterDei Hospital

Dear all, Yesterday we noted a number of people who went out in groups, compromising the sacrifices made by so many of us, who have understood the necessity of the…

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Hospitals in Central and Southern Italy waiting for Tsunami of CoVid Cases

Just one month ago, Italy reported its first case of CoVid19. Italy's darkest month followed. 37,860 (and counting) are infected. 4,032 died, It is against this backdrop that hospitals in Italy’s…

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Europeans encouraging health workers’ nightly from the windows

At a time of isolation, people in many European cities hit hard by the new coronavirus are taking at least a minute each night to come together in gratitude. They…

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Photo Story: Businesses begin to recover in Beijing

A vendor wearing face mask works in a store of a shopping mall in Beijing, China, 20 March 2020. Many restaurants, stores and other businesses begin to recovery which closed…

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Ukraine announces nationwide quarantine measures

Ukrainians wait at a bus stop in Kiev, Ukraine, 20 March 2020. The limitations with municipal transport are some problems for people, who obligate to reach their job, especially medical…

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Vatican roses donated to Dutch hospitals

Employees of the Franciscus Gasthuis receive roses in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 19 March 2020. Reportedly the flowers would normally be sent to Rome as decoration for the 'Urbi et orbi'…

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Societies that stand together are more resilient in times of crisis, say human rights heads on International Anti-Racism Day

While ever more countries introduce measures to counter the current health risks, it is important to remember that societies based on solidarity and inclusion are more resilient to fast-changing circumstances,…

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Photo Story: Disinfection in Pisa

Sanity disinfection under the leaning tower of Pisa and the Miracle's square completely empty of people in Pisa, Italy. Due lockdown measures kicked in throughout Italy on 12 March after…

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Belgium closes borders for non-essential inbound and outbound travel

Belgium has decided to close its borders for "non-essential inbound and outbound travel" to slow the spread of the coronavirus, Interior Minister Pieter De Crem said on Friday. “Tourist trips…

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YouTube to reduce its streaming quality in EU and UK to avert internet gridlock

YouTube said on Friday it will reduce its streaming quality in the European Union and the United Kingdom to avert internet gridlock as thousands of people work from home. The…

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Brussels Airlines temporarily suspend flights

Brussels Airlines aircrafts are parked on the tarmac at Zaventem International Airport near Brussels, Belgium, 20 March 2020. Brussels Airlines has decided to temporarily suspend its flight operations from 21…

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Malta – From a library to a ward #CoVid19 preparedness

This was the medical school library within the Mater Dei Hospital building. As one of our readers posted, this image should make us realise the extent of what a country…

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Photo Story: Military patrols in the streets of Hungary

A soldier and an MP patrol in the main square of Debrecen, Hungary, 20 March 2020. The patrol is deployed to keep up public safety and order during the time…

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British Airways pilots agree to take 50% pay cut

British Airways pilots are going to take a 50% pay cut in April and May as the airline battles to survive the coronavirus crisis. The drastic measures mean BA's 4,500…

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At least 28 priests in northern Italy have died from COVID-19

Italian dioceses surrounding Milan have reported the deaths of 30 priests during the coronavirus outbreak. Avvenire, the Italian newspaper owned by the Italian bishops conference, attributes at least 28 of…

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CDC study finds younger adults at risk too from coronavirus

While it was first argued that older people were more vulnerable to the coronavirus, new findings show that young people, too, are at risk. First assumptions about the virus indicated…

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Photo Story: Ship transformed into hospital in Italy

Healthcare workers, wearing protective masks, walk in front of the ‘Gnv Splendid’ ferry transformed into a hospital for the hospitalization in isolation of patients infected with COVID-19 coronavirus discharged from…

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Italian army deployed to enforce lockdown in Lombardy

The army will be used to impose the lockdown in Lombardy - the region of Italy worst hit by the coronavirus outbreak. The move came after a request from Lombardy…

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Photo Story: Hope reigns supreme in overcoming coronavirus in Italy

A man jogging on the west bank of the river Po in Turin, Italy, 19 March 2020. Italy is the worse-affected country outside China, where the COVID-19 outbreak started. Italy…

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Spain’s death toll surges past 1,000

At least 1,000 people have now died in Spain from the coronavirus, while the total number of infections in the country has reached almost 20,000. The death toll from an…

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UK Government preparing rescue plan to save jobs

Britrish Chancellor Rishi Sunak is to announce an employment and wage subsidy package to try to protect millions of jobs. One proposal under discussion is for the UK to follow…

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Come back to fight coronavirus, UK begs 65,000 former nurses and doctors to help

Britain has asked 65,000 former nurses and doctors to return to work and will deploy final-year medical students to fight the coronavirus health crisis, the health ministry said. The Nursing…

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Number of cases in Germany rises by nearly 3,000 to 13,957 overnight

The number of coronavirus cases in Germany has risen by nearly 3,000 overnight to 13,957, a government agency in the country has confirmed. There were also 11 more deaths from…

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13 doctors died from Coronavirus in Italy

Five more Italian doctors have died from coronavirus, bringing the death toll among medics in the country to 13. At least 2629 health workers have been infected according to NZ…

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China’s new imported coronavirus cases at record; no domestic transfers for second day

China’s imported coronavirus cases have risen to a record 228, data showed on Friday, as infected travellers spread to ever more provinces, adding pressure on authorities to toughen entry rules…

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British Airways pilots to face pay cut due to coronavirus

British Airways pilots will face a 50% pay cut to their basic salary for April and May, as the airline seeks to reduce its cost to try survive the coronavirus…

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Giuseppe Conte calls on EU to use full financial firepower

Italy has called on the EU to use its powerful economic rescue fund to extend credit lines to all member states to fight “a global shock that has no precedents…

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Madrid converts hotels into hospitals to treat coronavirus patients

A four-star Madrid hotel - Gran Hotel Colon, which is about a 10-minute walk from the Gregorio Marañon hospital, one of the Spanish capital's biggest - has been transformed into…

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Libyans told not to return back to country for time being

The director of the Attaches and delegates Affairs Department at the Ministry of Education requested, the academic attachés of the Libyan embassies abroad to inform Libyan students and employees not…

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EU adopts Temporary Framework to enable Member States to further support the economy in the COVID-19 outbreak

The European Commission has adopted a Temporary Framework to enable Member States to use the full flexibility foreseen under State aid rules to support the economy in the context of the…

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Italian region of Lombardy in continuous battle against the advance of the coronavirus

With 3,405 coronavirus victims, Italy on Thursday outnumbered China, which had 3,245 in total. In Lombardy 19,884 positive (+2,171) and 2,168 dead (+209) and so far is the hardest hit…

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Coronavirus deaths top 10,000 globally

The novel coronavirus has infected more than 244,500 people and killed over 10,000 worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University, which is tracking cases reported by the World Health Organization and…

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Phantom of the Opera’s ‘All I ask of you’ – Andrew Lloyd Weber performance while in self-isolation

A host of Broadway celebrities and performers are taking to social media to spread joy when attending the theatre is not an option. The videos began appearing this week in…

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UK supermarkets expect police support if London put in lockdown

British supermarkets are expecting to get police support to deter unruly behaviour if London goes into lockdown to contain the coronavirus outbreak, according to an industry source. Prime Minister Boris…

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“We are in an unprecedented situation and the normal rules no longer apply” says UN chief

As public fear and uncertainty grow around the COVID-19 pandemic, “more than ever before, we need solidarity, hope and the political will to see this crisis through together,” UN Secretary-General…

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Africa coronavirus cases to rise as some undetected

Africa will likely see higher numbers of coronavirus cases in coming weeks because of the likelihood some are slipping through the net, the head of a regional disease control body…

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Germany plans to mobilize military reservists to combat spread of the coronavirus as cases increase

German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer is planning to mobilize reservists to augment Germany's military services as the authorities race to deal with the coronavirus outbreak. The number of coronavirus cases…

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Covid19 Malta Bulletin – Friday 20th March 2020

Update 12:03 Prof Charmaine Gauci has announced the first case identified in Gozo amongst 11 new cases. Malta now has 64 cases of coronavirus-positive patients. Prof Gauci also said that…

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Australia closes borders to coronavirus, pumps $56 billion into economy

Australia is closing its borders to foreigners and pumping about A$100 billion (49 billion pounds) into the economy as it seeks to minimise the blow from the coronavirus epidemic. Australia…

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US citizens told to return back, Trump says anti-malaria drug giving very encouraging early results

The US is advising its citizens to avoid all international travel due to the coronavirus pandemic, while those who are abroad have been told to arrange their immediate return home.…

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California governor orders entire state to stay home

California's governor on Thursday issued an unprecedented statewide "stay at home order" directing the state's 40 million residents to hunker down in their homes for the foreseeable future in the…

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Christ the Redeemer dresses with the flags of countries affected by coronavirus

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Greece announces new measures to prop up economy

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Thursday announced an additional 3 billion euros in measures to prop up the economy and help workers whose jobs are at risk as a…

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No one is telling me we’ll be able to get a vaccine before winter ’21 – Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday the earliest a vaccine against the coronavirus can be expected is at the end of 2021. "No one is telling me we'll be able…

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Queen Elizabeth urges all to play their vital important role in fighting CoVid19

The Queen, 93, has urged Britons across the country to play their "vitally important" roles as coronavirus grips the UK. "As Philip and I arrive at Windsor today, we know…

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