Healthcare

European Commission creates first ever rescEU stockpile of medical equipment

The European Commission has decided to create a strategic rescEU stockpile of medical equipment such as ventilators and protective masks to help EU countries in the context of the COVID-19…

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Which countries imposed lockdown?

Four European Union member states have imposed lockdowns to combat the spread of the potentially deadly COVID-19 virus while travellers hoping to get into the bloc are being turned away.…

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Portugal steps up measures to fight CoVid19 pandemic

Portugal announced new measures to fight the coronavirus pandemic, requesting all non-essential activity outdoors to be avoided and shutting down non-essential shops. “This set of rules seeks to contribute in…

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Airline industry may not survive without state aid – Lufthansa

The airline industry may not survive without state aid if the coronavirus pandemic lasts a long time, Lufthansa warned on Thursday, predicting it would emerge into a “different world”…

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Netflix to reduce bit rates to avoid clogging of European networks

“Following the discussions between Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton and Netflix CEO Reed Hastings — and given the extraordinary challenges raised by the coronavirus — Netflix has decided to begin reducing bit rates across…

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Dutch test blood donations for unseen coronavirus spread

Dutch health authorities have begun a major project testing blood donation samples to see how many people in the Netherlands may have already had the new coronavirus, often with symptoms…

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Gal Gadot, Natalie Portman and Amy Adams in star-studded ‘Imagine’ cover

Wonder Woman actress Gal Gadot took to Instagram on the sixth day of her self-imposed quarantine, for a star-studded sing-along to John Lennon's Imagine. Gadot enlisted fellow superheroes Natalie…

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Italy overtakes China in terms of deaths

Italy has overtaken China as the country with the most coronavirus-related deaths in the world after reporting 3,405 fatalities from the Covid-19 pandemic.Borrelli said 33,190 people are currently infected with…

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London cuts Tube trains and warns ‘don’t travel unless you really have to’

A general view of Borough London Underground station in Central London, Britain, 19 March 2020. The Transport for London (TFL) closed a number of stations on the London Underground network,…

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Serbia’s military deploys at borders to help fight coronavirus

Serbia’s military deployed at the borders on Wednesday, for the first time in over a decade, as authorities imposed a state of emergency to try to curb the spread of…

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European Commission provides guidance on EU passenger rights amid coronavirus outbreak

In an effort to mitigate the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Commission has published guidelines to ensure EU passenger rights are applied in a coherent manner across the…

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WHO warns Africa should ‘prepare for the worst’ with virus

Africa should “prepare for the worst” as the coronavirus begins to spread locally, the World Health Organization’s director-general has warned, while South Africa became the continent’s new focus of concern…

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Air pollution and CO2 fall rapidly as virus spreads

Levels of air pollutants and warming gases over some cities and regions are showing significant drops as coronavirus impacts work and travel. Researchers in New York told the BBC their…

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Dutch, Spanish and Monaco Grands Prix postponed

The Dutch, Spanish and Monaco Grands Prix have been postponed due to the global spread of the coronavirus. The news follows the cancellation of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix last…

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UK has one of highest coronavirus in the world

The United Kingdom has one of the highest coronavirus death rates in the world, latest data reveals. It has reported 104 deaths and 2,626 total cases of COVID-19 up to…

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Monaco’s Prince Albert tests positive for CoVid19

Prince Albert of Monaco has tested positive for COVID-19 coronavirus, his palace announced on Thursday afternoon. Albert II, the principality's head of state, is continuing to work from his apartment…

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Qantas suspends all international flights due to coronavirus pandemic

A Qantas aircraft takes off from Sydney Airport in Sydney, Australia, 19 March 2020. According to media reports on 19 March 2020, Qantas has suspended all international flights and will…

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Ireland set to ban evictions and rent price increases

RTE News reports that the Government will announce a temporary ban on evictions, for an initial period of three months, while the Covid-19 crisis is ongoing. It's also understood that…

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Austrian ski town suspected as source of coronavirus across Europe

Politico reports that Tyrolean village of Ischgl in Austria may have been the main source of the outbreak of coronavirus in Europe. Health authorities across Scandinavia have traced several hundred…

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Photo Story: The streets of Washington DC

A sticker referencing advice by authorities to stay home and avoid public spaces in pictured on a light post in Seattle, Washington, USA. Many businesses throughout the area were closed…

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Deaths in Bergamo, Italy, more than city can handle

The Italian city of Bergamo, one of the worst-hit by the coronavirus outbreak, is having to transport its dead out of the city as its crematorium is struggling to cope.…

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Other countries did a ‘war’ budget, we got a mini-budget – Malta SME Chamber

The Malta SME Chamber said that the government once again shows clear signs that it is not understanding the dire situation businesses are in. The flashy figures announced yesterday evening,…

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Covid19 Malta Bulletin – Thursday 19th March 2020

Updated 12:51 "You are in good hands, and our healthcare system is one of the best. Be strong." This was the key message delivered by President George Vella in to…

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Infections in Germany exceed 12,000

The total number of reported infections in Germany grew to 12,327 cases as of Thursday at 8am, according to data from Johns Hopkins University and Robert Koch Institute. But depending on…

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EU’s chief Brexit negotiator tested positive for Coronavirus

The European Union’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said today he has tested positive for coronavirus. More Soon ...

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Iran reports its biggest jump in coronavirus deaths

Iran on Wednesday reported its single biggest jump in fatalities from the coronavirus as another 147 people died, raising the country’s overall death toll to 1,135. The nearly 15% spike…

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Maltese Editors’ Viewpoints

The Times of Malta says that Malta must adopt any means, possibly even more drastic than our neighbours, to ensure that the very limited capacity we have to deal with…

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Roche initiates Phase III clinical trial of Actemra/RoActemra in hospitalised patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia

Roche today announced that they are working with the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in the USA to initiate a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase III clinical trial in collaboration with…

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China eyes end to coronavirus outbreak, believes the worst is now over

Chinese scientists and health experts involved in the country’s fight against the coronavirus believe the worst is now over, downplaying warnings that the disease could become seasonal or that a…

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UK businesses warn ‘time is running out’ to remain afloat

British firms say time is running out to keep their businesses afloat as coronavirus batters the economy - and that they are uncertain about how to access the financial support…

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First coronavirus death reported in Russia

Russia said on Thursday a 79-year-old woman with underlying health issues who tested positive for the new coronavirus had died from pneumonia, the country's first confirmed death resulting from the…

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WHO announces global ‘solidarity trial’ to jumpstart search for COVID-19 treatment

Just 60 days after the genetic sequence of COVID-19 was shared by China, the first vaccine trial has begun, the UN health chief said on Wednesday, calling it “an incredible…

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UAE suspends entry of valid residence visa holders abroad over coronavirus concerns

United Arab Emirates will suspend entry of valid residence visa holders who are still abroad starting at noon on Thursday for two weeks and pausing issuance of new work…

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No new coronavirus cases reported in Wuhan, Beijing hit by a record number of imported cases

Beijing was hit by a record number of imported cases of the coronavirus as new local transmissions in China fell to zero, putting more pressure on the Chinese capital to…

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Up to 20,000 troops on standby to help deal with coronavirus outbreak in the UK

Up to 20,000 service personnel in the UK will be put on standby to help combat the coronavirus, with troops gearing up to drive oxygen tankers, support the police and…

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Denmark offers companies $6bn in coronavirus cash hand-outs’

Denmark's finance ministry has announced plans to spend up to 40bn Danish kroner ($6bn) to help companies hit by the coronavirus crisis to cover their fixed costs until cash flow…

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English Language School Moves Online

“There is a limit to how inventive you can be for your business. But in unusual times, people will come up with their own ideas which will inspire you to…

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Italy to extend closure of schools, to protect strategic companies

At the end of a Cabinet meeting at Palazzo Chigi, Giuseppe Conte, where all those present, including him, were wearing masks and gloves, said that the first priority remains avoiding the collapse of…

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Coronavirus infections in Spain increase by 18 % amid warning “The worst is yet to come”

The number of people infected by COVID-19 in Spain soared past 13,700 on Wednesday with the number of deaths rising to 558, the health ministry said. We have 13,716 cases…

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Australia bans non-citizens and non-residents from entering into country

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the enhanced border measures in response to the coronavirus outbreak. It applies to all non-citizens and non-residents. Australians will still be able to return from…

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ILO warns nearly 25 million jobs could be lost because of coronavirus

Nearly 25 million people could become unemployed owing to the effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the UN announced on Wednesday. Global unemployment could increase by 5.3 million in a…

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Ireland’s call for retired medics to return to work gets huge response

Ireland’s health service was inundated by offers from former healthcare professionals prepared to return to frontline service to tackle the coronavirus outbreak, a day after the government made its call…

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ECB launches emergency €750bn coronavirus package

The European Central Bank (ECB) has launched an emergency €750bn package to ease the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. It will buy government and company debt across the eurozone, including…

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Trump puts USA on war footing to combat virus outbreak

Describing himself as a "wartime president", President Donald Trump has vowed the US will achieve "total victory" over the coronavirus. He spoke as he revived a Korean War-era measure allowing…

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France joins Italy in highest daily deaths from coronavirus, Italian lockdown could be extended

Italy and France have had their highest numbers of deaths from coronavirus in a day, with 475 and 89 more fatalities respectively. The deaths in Italy - an increase of…

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CoVid19 – Malta Bulletin – Malta’s Economic CoVid Emergency Plan – Review

Prime Minister Robert Abela announced that Government has prepared a 1.8 billion euro package to support the economy, business and families. Government’s priority is that no jobs were lost but…

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Let your love be known – U2’s Bono new song for doctors, nurses and carers on CoVid19 front line

U2’s Bono has shared a new song called “Let Your Love Be Known”, dedicated to “the doctors, nurses, [and] carers on the front line,” and was inspired by the crisis in…

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CoVid19 Update – Another dark day for Europe

Thirty-two more people have died in England after testing positive for coronavirus - taking the total number of UK deaths to 104. It follows the biggest daily leap in confirmed cases…

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Covid19 Malta Bulletin – Wednesday 18th March 2020

Update 20:21 Prime Minister Robert Abela announced that Government has prepared a 1.8 billion euro package to support the economy, business and families. Government's priority is that no jobs were…

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Germany closing borders to travellers from EU countries

Germany is closing its borders to travelers from other EU countries in response to the coronavirus outbreak, Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer said on Wednesday evening. "Today we are taking a…

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I asked the Lord to stop the epidemic – Pope Francis

“During these difficult days we can find small, concrete gestures expressing closeness and concreteness towards the people closest to us, a caress for our grandparents, a kiss for our children,…

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Parents need to prepare kids to guard against CoVid-19

The World Health Organization said parents need to prepare their kids to guard against COVID-19 after a new study showed that babies and very young children can sometimes develop severe…

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€38 billion relief plan announced by Austria

Austria will spend up to 38 billion euros to secure jobs and keep companies afloat, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said on Wednesday, joining other European countries providing more funds to limit…

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CoVid19 Italy Update – Lombardy will ‘soon’ not be able to deal with new CoVid19 cases

Lombardy medical facilities will "soon" be unable to help new coronavirus cases, Governor Attilio Fontana said Wednesday urging everyone to stay at home. "Unfortunately the numbers of the contagion are…

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Ryanair and its subsidiaries to ground nearly all of its flights

Budget airline Ryanair says it will ground nearly all its flights from next week due to the coronavirus crisis gripping Europe.

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Kosovo’s government facing crisis as Interior minister is fired on CoVid19 response

Kosovo’s government faces a major crisis only a few weeks after taking power as one of the coalition partners is threatening to walk out of government. On Wednesday morning, Prime…

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Eurovision cancelled in wake of coronavirus concerns

The popular Eurovision Song Context has been cancelled in the wake of recent developments related to the spread of the coronavirus. Malta was due to be represented by 17-year-old singer…

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