Fried Egg Jellyfish Makes ‘Late’ Appearance In Maltese Waters

Sep 3 2024

The first sightings of the fried egg jellyfish have started to come in – rather late this year.

‘You are somewhat late this year’, wrote marine biologist Alan Deidun. The first sightings for summer 2024 were reported in Gozo and Comino during the last 10 days of August.

‘This is in stark contrast with what happened last year, when sightings were first made in July.’

‘This might be due to the late warming up of our seas this spring as compared to last year, given that reproduction within this jellyfish species is very much driven by temperature, although this is just an assumption.’

‘This is an innocuous/harmless species which should not be persecuted’ concluded Deidun.

‘Thanks to Mark Bonnici and to David Agius for this material and alerts. Please keep sending your jellyfish sighting reports to the Spot the Jellyfish campaign so that we can get a clearer picture of what these elusive jellyfish species are up to!’

#MaltaDaily

17-Year Old Italian Boy Confesses To Murdering Family

Sep 3 2024

A 17-year old Italian boy, confessed to murdering his mother, father and younger brother only a few hours after the whole family celebrated the father’s (Fabio Chiarioni) 51st birthday.

The teenager chillingly told investigators ‘There is no real reason why I killed them. I felt like a foreign body in my family. Oppressed. I thought that by killing them all I would free myself from this discomfort’.

Local news first reported that the boy had told authorities that it was his dad that killed his mother and brother and that he only killed his dad out of fear.

The 17-year-old explained to investigators that he entered his brother’s room on the second floor of the family home to find Chiarioni sitting on a chair with the knife next to him.

He told officers the body of his mother was on the ground by his father’s feet, and his brother was laying dead in his bed before he launched his attack on his father.

The police were however left unconvinced by the story as no signs of struggle appeared on the boy’s body, before the actual truth was revealed during a second interrogation.

Speaking to investigators during his confession, he said: ‘I realized it a minute later. I understood that it was not by killing them that I would be freed.’

#MaltaDaily

Second Case Of Mpox Detected In Malta

Sep 3 2024

Malta has reported its second case of Mpox, a viral disease previously known as Monkeypox.

The Health Ministry confirmed that the latest case involved a Maltese resident who contracted the virus through sexual contact in Malta.

The individual is stable, does not require hospitalization, and has been isolated. Authorities are conducting contact tracing and further testing to determine the specific strain of the virus.

The first case reported last week was identified as Clade II, a less severe strain of the Mpox virus, which has a lower mortality rate compared to Clade I, primarily found in Central Africa.

Clade II is responsible for the global Mpox outbreak that began in 2022, mostly spreading through human-to-human sexual transmission.

Malta has investigated 35 cases related to this outbreak up to 2023, with the latest case being the first for 2024.

Mpox spreads through close physical contact, including skin-to-skin and respiratory interactions. The Health Ministry advises practicing safe sex, avoiding close contact with infected individuals, maintaining good hygiene, and seeking medical advice if symptoms occur.

A vaccine is available free of charge for primary contacts of Mpox patients in Malta.

#MaltaDaily

First Olympic Swimming Pool In Gozo Starts Filling Up

Sep 3 2024

Gozo Minister, Clint Camilleri has revealed that the highly anticipated Olympic-sized swimming pool being built in Gozo, has finally started to be filled up.

The pool will be a part of the massive Gozo Aquatic Center being currently built and will feature not only an Olympic-sized pool but also an all new basketball court and 3 squash courts.

In a Facebook post, Minister Clint Camilleri stated that “Countless promises were made in the past that amounted to nothing, and in recent months, there was so much criticism that we wouldn’t deliver, along with other doubts raised about this massive sports project in the heart of Victoria… Despite everything, we made a promise, and we kept it ”

Camilleri announced that the biggest and best sports project in Gozo is now becoming a reality, a reality for the hundreds of Gozitan athletes who finally have facilities built to international standards.

He ended his post by stating that to get good results in sports, kids need good facilities and that is exactly what the government is doing in Gozo.

#MaltaDaily