Updated 1745- News Portal Briefing
Times of Malta reports that A peak in COVID cases registered at the beginning of January is decreasing, Superintendent of Public Health Charmaine Gauci said on Friday during her weekly update.
MaltaToday reports that The private foundation of Nationalist MP Claudio Grech will be assisting pro-life orgainsation Life Network Malta Foundation to upgrade its digital and social media presence.
Newsbook reports that works at the Malta International Airport Police stations have been completed and the doors to the new office have been opened today.
TVM reports that
Maltese Police officers from the International Relations Branch yesterday arrested a 25-year-old Cameroonian national on the strength of a European Arrest Warrant issued at the request of the German authorities.
Updated 1235 – Covid-19 Update
Health authorities reported 143 new cases of coronavirus, with 201 recoveries. These were identified through 3,111 swab tests. The current case tally now stands at 2,740.
The daily report also noted three further deaths, all women, aged 92, 93 and 100 respectively, meaning 248 persons have now died since the onset of the coronavirus after being infected by Covid-19.
Updated 1121 – Health authorities warn against routine fumigation
The health authorities have warned against the routine fumigation as part of efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19. A number of establishments openly promote the efforts they put into fumigating their place. However, the public health department said this should not be a matter of routine.
“It is likely that the disinfectant does not reach all surfaces and the length of contact time required to destroy the virus may not be adequate if disinfectants are applied via fumigation,” the document says.
Updated 0900
The Medical Association has called for a weekend curfew and stronger enforcement as it expressed concern COVID-19 patients to Mater Dei hospital.
In a statement this morning, doctors said they were “seriously preoccupied” with the “persistently high number” of daily coronavirus cases, averaging more than 150 a day.
As a result, Mater Dei, in particular medical wards and the intensive care unit, could soon reach a breaking point and will not be able to cope with the flow of patients. Additionally, contact tracing is lagging behind by several days, rendering it ineffective.
The union was therefore recommending a 9pm curfew from Friday to Sunday for at least two weeks, and scaling up enforcement on non-compliant establishments in particular at hotspots such as Paceville and Buġibba.
Updated 0830 – Newspaper Review
The Times reports on an angry outburst in court by the Degiorgio brothers, who are being charged with the killing of Daphne Caruana Galizia. George and Alfred Degiorgio said that their rights were being breached by the case magistrate and the Attorney General’s office.
In-Nazzjon says that the self-confessed middleman in the Caruana Galizia murder has been given clearance by a committee of psychiatrists to take the witness stand again. Theuma is expected to testify in the court sitting on Monday.
The Independent says that an expert report found several shortcomings in excavation practices used in the construction sector and makes recommendations to reduce risks. The report was presented to the Prime Minister in April and tabled in parliament this week.
L-Orizzont speaks with the CEO of Infrastructure Malta, Frederick Azzopardi, who announced that the Central Link is two-thirds complete and that he expects the project to be finished by October.
The Independent carries an interview with medical student Rebecca Caruana who was invited to join an international project by leading doctors to publish an e-book about the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Times reports that the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit will not review its system of fines despite a recent court order that sanctions cannot be higher than a tenth of the total annual turnover of a business.
L-Orizzont reports on an EU leaders’ summit on Thursday discussing the vaccination programmes in member states. The European Commission is urging governments to target 70 percent vaccination of adults by summer.
Morning Briefing
Tense session in Caruana Galizia case as Degiorgio brothers claim breach of rights
A tense session dominated proceedings in Court yesterday at another hearing in the case of the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia.
After Magistrate Claire Zammit Stafrace denised a request by George and Alfred Degiorgio, that the secret recordings between the murdered suspect Yorgen Fenech and intermediary Melvin Theuma be heard during the compilation of the evidence against them, the two brothers shouted at the Magistrate, claiming violation of their rights. Throughout the commotion, they asked, in a harsh tone, why they were receiving a different tone than other suspects, such as Melvin Theuma.
In another development, the three psychiatrists appointed to examine Melvin Theuma after he tried to commit suicide last summer, concluded that he was fit to continue with his testimony in Court.
New €18 million nvestment of in the Kirkop Tunnels and Airport Intersection Project
A new flyover will be built for travelling to and from Kirkop, Mqabba, Qrendi, Żurrieq and Safi while two new tunnels will improve access to the airport and freeport in new investment annunced yesterday.
Minister Ian Borg said that with this project, “we will be making another step forward towards this Government’s vision in terms of greener infrastructure through lesser emissions as a result of lesser traffic and the adoption of cleaner and more sustainable modes of transport through more walkways, improved public transport amenities and safer cycle paths.”
The project is expected to include also a pedestrian walkway which Infrastructure Malta will be building along the same road as well as a new roundabout design that will be offering safer facilities for road users as well as cyclists. Infrastructure Malta started work on this project this week at the same time as the other two major infrastructure projects are nearing completion, the Santa Lucija Underpass project and the Marsa Junction Project.
Vaccination centres to double
Health Minister Chris Fearne said that the number of vaccination centres to 20 in the coming weeks as the number of COVID-19 jab doses available is set to increase significantly in February.
By Sunday, all those over 85 who are mobile will have been given the first dose of the COVID-19 jab. Next week, health authorities will start giving the vaccine to those over 85 who cannot leave their homes as well as to cancer patients who are about to start chemotherapy.
He also reiterated plans to vaccinate non-medical frontliners in the coming weeks, including police officers, CPD officers, prison wardens and then teachers.
Covid-19 update
The Health Department reported 187 new cases of coronavirus in the previous 24 hours, with 189 recovering. The number of active cases has reached 2,831. 3,879 swab tests were carried out in the past 24 hours.
Meanwhile, the number of deaths linked to Covid-19 has reached 244. 14,276 vaccine doses were administered until yesterday.
CDE News
