Update 2100 h – Coronavirus claims two more lives
A man and a woman have died after testing positive for COVID-19, raising the number of victims to 103. The Health Ministry said an 83-year-old man who was diagnosed with the virus on November 6, died late on Monday at Mater Dei Hospital. The woman, 70, was diagnosed on October 20 and died on Tuesday, also at Mater Dei.
Updated 1745- News Portal Briefing
Times of Malta reports that Yorgen Fenech’s bid to refer an alleged breach of rights to the constitutional court was denied on Tuesday, with a court ruling that the request was “frivolous and vexatious”.
MaltaToday says that pregnant women have raised concerns about a policy introduced at Mater Dei Hospital which demands they wear masks during childbirth, even if they tested negative for COVID-19.
TVM reports that war veteran Carmel Calafato dies at age 97.
Newsbook reports that during 2020 the Customs Department seized over €54 million worth of good that different persons tried to import in Malta illegally.
Updated 1245 – 110 new cases of coronavirus
The Health Department reported 110 new cases of coronavirus in the previous 24 hours, with 161 recovering.
The number of active cases has reached 2097. 2345 swab tests were
carried out in the past 24 hours.
Updated 1210
Malta missing quality health data
A spokesperson for the ECDC told The Times of Malta said the agency “currently does not have recent good quality data on hospital and ICU admissions reported officially from Malta”.
The situation in Malta’s hospitals does not feature in COVID-19 reports by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control because the data provided by the local authorities is not “good quality”. The Times of Malta today reports that the ECDC, an EU agency, said there is no data for hospital and intensive care unit admissions for Malta.
“However, we are in active discussions with our colleagues in Malta to find a solution and hope to have good quality data reported to ECDC in the coming weeks,” the agency said.
Updated 0845 – Newspaper Review
The Times says that Keith Schembri’s companies will be run by an administrator selected by the criminal court. On Monday, the court turned down an appeal by the attorney general, the state advocate, and the police commissioner to uphold a garnishee order on Schembri’s firms.
The Independent reports on a court decision to appoint an administrator to oversee the business empire of former chief of staff Keith Schembri after it was hit by a freeze order. The court said the companies need to be kept out of bankruptcy.
L-Orizzont quotes Prime Minister Robert Abela who appealed for unity to fight the pandemic and criticised Opposition Leader Bernard Grech for ‘politicising’ the death of Covid-19 patient Renald Falzon by naming him in a speech on Sunday.
In-Nazzjon reports that the number of Covid-19 victims has now risen above 100 after three elderly people died from the disease on Monday. There are currently 2,157 registered active cases.
The Times reports that the number of Covid-19 casualties reached 101 on Monday. Two elderly people died at Mater Dei on Monday aged 87 and 79, while a third person aged 78 died at an elderly residence.
The Independent quotes Prime Minister Robert Abela who said that a Cabinet reshuffle will only be called if it is in the national interest. The Prime Minister was responding to rumours about an imminent change in the Cabinet.
L-Orizzont reports on phase-three results on a Covid-19 vaccine by American brand Moderna. The biotechnology company revealed that the candidate vaccine has a efficacy of 94.5 percent and plans to apply for approval to start production.
In-Nazzjon speaks to MEP Roberta Metsola after Prime Minister Robert Abela refused to congratulate her on her election as vice president of the European Parliament. Metsola said the Prime Minister sees Malta as either red or blue.
Morning Briefing
Covid-19 Death Toll reaches 101
The Health Ministry said that three more people died of Covid-19 between Sunday and Monday, taking the country’s tally to 101. The three victims were all men, aged 78, 87 and 79 respectively. The first died yesterday at the Good Samaritan facility while the other two passed away on Monday at ater Dei Hospital.
Health authorities have reported 103 new cases of coronavirus in Malta over the past 24 hours. These were identified through 3189 swab tests. 123 persons have recovered during the same time, lowering the tally of active cases to 2151.
Malta to access first Covid-related funds as from today
Malta will, as from today, have access to €120 million under the SURE Programme, to ensure that companies retain their employees during the hard times brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
This was announced by European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday in an interview released by Malta’s representation to the EU and TVM.
The President also said that when the Covid-19 vaccine will be available, Malta will have the same access, pro-rata, as its European peers.
Parliament augurs Metsola for new EP post
Labour Whip Glenn Bedingfield has wished Roberta Metsola well in her new European Parliament role as Vice President. This position was in contrast with that expressed by PM Robert Abela on Monday morning, when he justified his refusal to congratulate the PN MEP for her opposition to the Citizenship by Investment Scheme.
Bedingfield however emphasised that Metsola should make use of her position to defend Malta’s interests. The Labour Party has frequently targeted the two PN MEPs – Metsola and David Casa – for their criticism of government policy and actions in European forums
CDE News
