Malta, more contagious cases, but no total lockdown
In Malta there has been an increase in positive cases of locally transmitted COVID 19. So far the health authorities are only making appeals to the population to stay home and go out just for work or to buy the necessities, while the Maltese government is still insisting that for now there is no need for a total lockdown. As from last night, the Maltese airspace was closed for all flights except those for the transhipment of medicines and goods.
In the last 24 hours nine new cases of coronavirus were recorded for a total of 73. Meanwhile, the patient who developed pneumonia was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit in Mater Dei hospital because his condition is not stable. The superintendent of Public Health Prof. Charmaine Gauci said that the “majority” of patients are in good medical condition but has appealed to the population to remain in self-isolation because the local contagion is high.
From the cases recorded in the last few hours there is a 21-year-old Maltese woman who was not abroad but had a relative who had returned from the UK on March 9th. The patient, who is a university student, showed the first symptoms after ten days. It was confirmed that she attended her last lesson on March 10th. Professor Gauci described the situation as being under control.
A 44-year-old man from Somalia, but residing in Malta, was the second to have been found positive. The man who had been in Brussels developed symptoms on March 17. The man had respected the quarantine rules and therefore the case is under control. Only two people who share the residence with him have been in contact. The two individuals have been placed in quarantine.
A 41-year-old foreigner, married to a Maltese, developed symptoms associated with coronavirus on March 15. According to the health authorities, the case indicates that she contracted the virus via local transmission and that the health authorities are currently carrying out contact tracking procedures at work and in the family.
A 55-year-old man who has not travelled recently was also tested positive for coronavirus. The health authorities are carrying out the process of tracking contacts in his workplace.
A 25-year-old woman who lives in the UK and returned to Malta on March 19 was found positive for coronavirus. She developed the symptoms associated with the coronavirus on the same day she returned to Malta. Health authorities are carrying out the contact tracking procedure to assess the risk for passengers who were on the same flight. The woman who lives alone followed the quarantine rules.
Another case concerns a 24-year-old Italian woman who lives in Australia but has come to Malta from London. Upon landing she followed the quarantine rules. Her relatives have been placed in quarantine.
A 49-year-old woman working in a school was also tested positive. The woman has not travelled recently, and it is likely she has been in contact with someone who was tested positive for coronavirus. Schools had already been closed when she felt to first symptoms of coronavirus on March 19. The last time she went to school was on March 12th.
A 30-year-old unemployed person from India was also confirmed positive for coronavirus. The man lives in a family where another person was tested positive and the other family was already in quarantine.
A 68-year-old Maltese woman who returned to Malta from London on March 16 and was in quarantine was confirmed positive. He showed symptoms on March 18 and has not been in contact with other people.
Meanwhile, the Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela has met trade unions representatives and others representing the employers. The Maltese government was criticized by the employers of not doing enough to save jobs when a financial aid package of €1.81 million was presented early this week.
The Federation of English Teaching Organizations in Malta said that the measures announced by the Government are not sufficient to safeguard jobs and this is already confirmed as a number of English schools already begun to close and lay off their employees. The number of cancellations increased from 4,000 students on 5 March to 20,000 students by 16 March. The financial impact of these cancellations on the industry is expected to be € 8.8 million loss while the economical financial loss is estimated to amount to € 23.7m.
(ITALPRESS/MNA)
