Updated 1745 – News Portal Review
TVM says that in the last 24 hours, 55 new cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in Malta after 2,194 swab tests were carried out.
MaltaToday reports how Police are combing dozens of recordings elevated from CCTV cameras installed across the Tigné streetscape, where Chris Pandolfino and Ivor Maciejowski were murdered in cold blood in their Locker Street home.
Times of Malta says the Nationalist Party proposed on Monday two months of free utilities, a moratorium on loan and interest repayments as well as an extension to the COVID-19 wage supplement.
The Malta Independent reports five prison warders are isolating at home with their families after they tested positive for Covid-19.
Newsbook says that the European Commission has presented proposals to the Council for decisions to grant financial support of €81.4 billion to 15 Member States under the SURE instrument through which Malta can benefit from €244 million.
NET News reports two women who arrived from Barcelona early this morning tested positive for Covid-19 after random testing was carried out at the airports arrival terminal.
ONE News says Pal Lengyel, a Hungarian fifty year old from Saint Pauls Bay lost his life last night after being involved in a traffic accident on Sunday morning on Coast Road in Naxxar.
Updated 1243 – 55 new cases of coronavirus in Malta
55 new cases were reported today by the Health Department from just under 2,200 swabs. With 43 recoveries, the number of active cases has edged up again to 680. Malta has now seen a total of 1,667 cases.
Meanwhile, The Times of Malta reports that the education authorities are today kicking off a series of meetings with teachers to discuss the reopening of schools in just over a month.
Updated 0813: Newspaper Review
The Times publishes survey findings showing a drop of 10 percentage points in support to the Labour party, capturing a voting intention of 28 percent among respondents, down from 38 percent in May. Support for the Nationalist party also fell from 15 percent to 13 percent.
The Independent carries an interview with the Education Faculty Dean Colin Calleja who said that compulsory education should not simply fit the needs of industry and argued that employability skills alone do not lead to better preparation for the future.
L-Orizzont announces that community policing will be introduced to 12 localities around Malta after a successful pilot project in Mellieħa. The paper says that the initiative not only increased patrols but reinforced confidence in the corps.
In-Nazzjon says that a total 1,723 Covid-19 cases were registered since March but over a thousand were recorded since July. The paper says that the reproduction factor of the virus has risen to 2.5.
The Independent reports that the number of active Covid-19 cases stands at 668 after 35 new infections were discovered between Saturday and Sunday. Swab tests have increased to more than 2,000 daily since two new testing hubs were opened in mid-August.
The Times says that a lucky winner has claimed the VAT lottery some 11 times in less than three years, winning over €8,000 in the process. Another customer on a winning streak cashed in over €3,800 from seven wins.
L-Orizzont quotes Prime Minister Robert Abela who said that he is proud to have been ‘at the helm’ of the country throughout the difficult period, likening the work of the government recently to the steadying of a ship.
In-Nazzjon reports that a swimmer lost his life in Dwejra on Sunday afternoon after finding himself in difficulty. A medical team from the Gozo general hospital rushed to the site but the 60-year-old was certified dead.
Morning Briefing
New survey shows 10% drop in Labour support
The governing Labour Party has registered a significant drop in its support, of about 10% in a new EMCS poll commissioned by the Times of Malta. However, the Nationalist Party still failed to make any inroads, also losing another 25 during the same time.
The survey, which was carried out last week, saw 28% of respondents opt for Labour while 13% would vote PN.
Questioned on leadership, 39% of respondents said that Deputy PM Chris Fearne is the better performer. When asked on the PN, an absolute majority of respondents expressed a preference for Bernard Grech (26%) as opposed to Adrian Delia (6%).
The survey has also shown that with a total of 40% positive responses the general public is, overall, not content with the way that the government is handling the health situation caused by COVID-19 in Malta (21% expressing positive views and 19% feeling extremely positive). The survey evidences that those having a positive view of the way the government is handling the health situation caused by COVID-19 in Malta has halved since the last survey.
Coronavirus in Malta: PM says situation under control
Prime Minister Robert Abela has insisted that despite the sharp rise in COVID-19 cases, the virus’ situation in Malta is still under control. Interviewed yesterday, he acknowledged that the re-opening of the airport and tourist arrivals “inevitably” led to an increase in cases, but said that hat the country has adopted the necessary measures to retain control of the spread.
He re-iterated that government must find a balance between the health and the economy, insisting one cannot survive without the other. “Facts show that government has managed the pandemic in a good manner, but one has to understand that that is a constantly changing situation,” he said.
Abela compared Malta with Luxembourg, recalling that the latter, with a population size similar to Malta’s, had reported a thousand deaths. Meanwhile, the PN yesterday said that the traditional PN Independence Day festivities will not be held due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Controversy on actual number of cases
Malta registered 35 new cases on Sunday while 33 other patients had recovered from the virus, according to data published by the Health Department. However, a controversy on numbers has arisen after portal Timesomalta.com reported that two separate lists of coronavirus patients held by authorities have a discrepancy of more than 200 cases between them.
The portal reports that authorities discovered this week that the country’s centralised healthcare database did not tally with a separate list being kept by public health chief Charmaine Gauci.
Man dies while swimming at Dwejra
A 60-year-old man died yesterday afternoon while swimming at Dwejra, the police said.
The police said the man, who hails from Imsida, was taken onto the shore to be given first assistance but was later certified dead. The accident took place at around 5.15pm.
CDE News
