Updated 1238 – 40 new cases in Malta
Another high return of positive cases in the past 24 hours, with the Health Department reporting 40 cases, taking the active case tally to 351. No persons recovered.
The Department said that 19 of these cases are linked to particular clusters – including a new one at a confirmation party. With the exception of two imported cases, the rest are all sporadic.
Updated 0835 – Newspaper Review
The Times reports that large events have been banned and dance floors closed in an effort to reverse the rise in coronavirus cases. Health Minister Chris Fearne urged people to be responsible to protect those most at risk.
The Independent says that the 49 new Covid-19 infections reported on Friday are the second-highest number of cases in a single day since the start of the outbreak. The number of registered cases is now close to 1,000.
In-Nazzjon says that this was the worst week since the pandemic began with 311 active cases recorded on Friday. Public Health Commissioner Charmaine Gauci warned that the situation may take long.
L-Orizzont follows a press conference by the Prime Minister and Health Minister on Friday. Robert Abela said that despite the spike in infections in the last days, the Covid-19 situation remains under control.
The Times reports that a man is in police custody after allegedly killing his 37-year-old son. The victim was found dead in his father’s house in Għaxaq on Friday morning with a gunshot to the stomach.
In-Nazzjon identifies the man accused of killing his son on Friday as Salvu Dalli, known as ‘Danger Man’. The paper says that there is a history of fighting and disagreements between the father and son.
The Independent reports that Adrian Delian and Bernard Grech have both submitted their interest in contesting the PN leadership race. The deadline for applications closes on Monday afternoon.
L-Orizzont says that PN MPs opposed to Adrian Delia are split over the nomination of Bernard Grech as the challenger for the party’s leadership. The paper says that some of them would have preferred Therese Comodini Cachia.
In-Nazzjon quotes PN leadership hopeful Bernard Grech who wrote on Facebook that political parties are instruments for the common good and that the Nationalist Party should respond to the aspirations of people.
Morning Briefing
A busy Friday for Malta’s newsrooms with another brutal murder taking the headlines, while continuous developments on Covid-19 remained the order of the day.
Murder in Ghaxaq: Salvu Dalli, 68, has been arrested in connection with the murder of his son during an argument in Għaxaq around Noon yesterday. The case is being treated as homicide. Antoine Dalli was 37.
Theuma released from hospital: Melvin Theuma, the self-confessed middlemen in the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia has been released from hospital. He had been hospitalised on 21st July after sustaining various life-threatening injuries which he maintains were self-sustained.
PN Leadership: Dr Bernard Grech has announced his intention to take on Dr Adrian Delia for the post of PN leader. It is understood that Grech has been presented as the unity candidate by the anti-Delia faction, after both Roberta Metsola and Therese Comodini Cachia decided not to contest the post.
Coronavirus updates: The Health Department announced that there were 49 new cases of coronavirus recorded in the past 24 hours, meaning there are now 311 active cases. Malta is on the verge of exceeding 1,000 total cases, with the R-factor exceeding 2.
Yesterday also featured the return of Health Superintendent Prof Charmaine Gauci’s press briefings. Gauci said that the majority of cases had no or mild symptoms. she added that four patients are being recovered at the infectious diseases unit, with one of them, an 84 year old, in serious condition due to underlying conditions. Seven patients are at Boffa Hospital and four at St Thomas Hospital.
Prime Minister Robert Abela and Minister Chris Fearne have also announced that while the same limit of 10 persons in one group will apply, events exceeding 100 persons insides and 300 outside were banned.
CDE News
