First two Omicron cases detected in Malta

Dec 23 2021

The first two cases of the recently discovered Omicron variant of COVID-19 were discovered in Malta yesterday night.

Addressing a press conference, Health Minister Chris Fearne and Superintendent for Public Health Charmaine Gauci announced the news today 23rd of December 2021.

The Health Minister had declared that the arrival of Omicron in Malta was a matter of when, not if, as it is suspected to become the dominant global strain by early next year.

The Omicron variant, which was first discovered in South Africa late November, is far more transmissible than previous variants of COVID-19.

Health officials are urging people to get vaccinated and boosted so as to curb the spread of the virus and its variants as it dominates the world in yet another spike.

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Schembri, Mizzi & Fenech’s US travel ban may affect employees of their companies, Azzopardi says

Dec 23 2021

Nationalist MP Jason Azzopardi has claimed that as a result of Yorgen Fenech, Keith Schembri and Konrad Mizzi’s US sanctions, the workers employed with their companies are at risk.

Azzopardi revealed that apart from Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri, the US treasury department’s travel ban was also imposed on Yorgen Fenech and his family but his name was not made public due to him being a private individual. The 50-year-old lawyer and MP highlighted how the ban on these three individuals will have a subsequent effect on the banking relationships of the companies they are in involved in such as Fenech’s Tumas Group, Schembri’s Kasco Group and others.

“Every bank in Europe and the world from this morning will have to start cutting off contacts with companies in which Konrad Mizzi, Keith Schembri and Yorgen Fenech are involved in… no bank will take the risk to deal with them,” Azzopardi stated.

What do you make of these statements?

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Photo Source: ICIJ / IPI / TVM

Chris Fearne and Charmaine Gauci to address conference at 11.30AM

Chris Fearne and Charmaine Gauci to address conference at 11.30PM

Dec 23 2021

Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Chris Fearne, together with Superintendent for Public Health Prof. Charmaine Gauci will address a conference at 11.30am today.

The conference will be streamed on the Health Ministry’s Facebook page, amongst other outlets, and will reportedly have Fearne and Gauci introduce new COVID-19 measures in Malta in the midst of a surge in cases.

Reports have emerged stating that the conference will address the current COVID-19 situation in Malta after 582 new COVID-19 cases were registered yesterday. Malta Daily will be covering the conference.

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Government’s handling of COVID-19 is “hugely irresponsible”, says Bernard Grech

Dec 23 2021

Opposition leader has called the government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in Malta “hugely irresponsible” after Malta registered a record-high 582 cases in just one day.

During an interview on NET Live, Grech stated that Prime Minister Robert Abela and Health Minister Chris Fearne have been irresponsible and dishonest in their handling of the COVID-19 situation in Malta. The Nationalist Party leader highlighted how rather than being honest with the people, “they are just letting things slide”, in the face of huge uncertainties.

During the interview, Grech also touched upon Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri’s US Ban and Justyne Caruana’s resignation from her Education Minister quote. On the latter, Grech stated: “Tell me how a person who resigned twice in her political career was ever a good candidate to be minister in the first place.”

Do you agree with the Opposition leader?

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