Updated 1300 – Covid-update
The Health Department reported 313 new cases of coronavirus in the previous 24 hours. 215 people recovered from the virus. The number of active cases has reached 3,113. 4,463 swab tests were carried out in the past 24 hours.
Meanwhile, the number of deaths linked to Covid-19 has reached 357, as Malta recorded two new deaths.
Updated 1128 – NGO Commissioner rejects political motivation claims
The NGO Commissioner has rejected claims that his comments towards rule-of-law group Repubblika had any political motivation. In a statement today, the Commissioenr clarified that “in his role he has always acted autonomously and independently without any political interference, including but not limited to the Office of the Prime Minister”. t
Repubblika had earlier this month argued that it was being silenced by the Commissioner, publishing a letter which accused it of encouraging “political propaganda and publicity” and breaching NGO funding rules.
Updated 0815 – Newspaper Review
The Times says that hundreds of supermarket employees have signed a petition demanding to be vaccinated as soon as possible. The deputy CEO of Pama supermarket, Malcolm Camilleri, said that he did not get a reply from the authorities.
The Independent quotes a public post by the father of Cystic Fibrosis patient Mandy Vella, asking authorities to procure specialised medication approved by the EU last year. The 26-year-old is being treated at Mater Dei hospital with a lung-related problem.
In-Nazzjon speaks with the president of the Medical Association, Martin Balzan, who said that it is clear that the government is placing political considerations before health priorities in its management of the pandemic.
L-Orizzont says that the EU is being criticised by citizens for a slow rollout-out of Covid-19 vaccines but praised for a robust recovery plan worth €750 billion that will help member states create new jobs.
The Times publishes photos of rundown quarters that are being used to house Cvid-19 patients at the Ħal Far migrant detention centre. Sources said the conditions inside the block are degrading and inhumane.
In-Nazzjon reports that three Covid-19 patients died between Sunday and Monday, raising the number of total casualties to 354. Two women aged 62 and 82, and an 84-year-old man, died while they were being treated in hospital.
L-Orizzont speaks to parents who said that, while online schooling is good for children, it creates new challenges. Parents of siblings said that they need to set up connected devices in separate rooms for each of their children.
The Independent reports that enforcement officers have fined more than 1,700 people for breaching Covid-19 measures last week. Around 1,450 of offenders were caught without a mask while 180 people were found in groups larger than four.
In-Nazzjon quotes Culture Minister Jose Herrera who said that the Cabinet has not discussed the backlog in contact tracing efforts, which was reported to have fallen nine days behind.
Morning Briefing
1,700 fines handed out for failure to abide with Covid mitigation rules
Local enforcement authorities have fined more than 1,700 persons last week for failure to abide with COVID mitigation rules in the wake of tighter restrictions.
In a post on social media, Government said that 25% of these fines (1,446) were handed for not wearing a mask, and another 180 for being in groups of more than four individuals.
The remaining 71 were issued to those who broke other COVID-related rules, including measures linked to business establishments, events and indoor gatherings. The fines were issued by officials from the Malta Tourism Association, Transport Malta, the Environmental Health Directorate, Malta Police Force and LESA.
There were also 3,091 inspections at residences to make sure people were following quarantine rules, with only four people were found in breach of quarantine.
1,409 reports of domestic violence
During 2020, there were 1,409 domestic violence cases reported in 43 localities in Malta and Gozo.
The figures and localities involved in the cases were provided by Interior and Law Enforcement Minister Byron Camilleri replying to a PQ.
Camilleri said that 103 cases of the reported 1,409 occurred in Gozo.In Malta, the biggest amount of reports were in St Paul’s Bay with 93, followed by Ħaż-Żabbar with 82 and Ħal Qormi and Birżebbuġa – 69.
Covid-19 Update
There were 213 new cases of coronavirus in Malta during the past 24 hours, while 316 recovered. These were identified through 3,870 swab tests. As a result, the number of active cases has gone down to 3,018. During the last 24 hours, three persons died while Covid-19 positive, taking the tally of fatalities to 354.
According to data published by the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC), the spike in Covid-19 cases seen in recent weeks has pushed Malta to have the third highest number cases per capita in the European Union with more than 720 cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 persons.
CDE News
