LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta has registered the second highest number of Covid-19 cases since the start of the pandemic. The local health authorties confirmed that during the last 24 hours, 386 new cases were detected as the number of new Covid-19 cases continued to rise. So far, Malta has not detected any cases of the Omicron variant.
With 71 confirmed recoveries, the number of active cases is now up to 2,505 including foreign students amongst them around 17 from Italy. They arrived in Malta last month as part of the ‘Erasmus Plus’ project. So far, Malta has not detected any cases of the Omicron variant.
40 patients are presently receiving treatment at Mater Dei Hospital, of whom five are still in the intensive care.
The local health authorities confirmed that around 5,000 people are currently quarantined due to COVID-19 and the number is set to increase So far, a total of 1,016,374 vaccine doses had been administered, including 175,395 booster doses.
The pandemic has claimed 471 lives in Malta to date.
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Patients in Malta who suffer from epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and who need chemotherapy treatment have the right to buy the first cannabis medicine produced locally.
The Malta company Zen Pharma which employs 34 workers, obtained a licence for the research and production of medicinal cannabis and is capable of producing 12 tons of the medicine annually. The cannabis flower is imported in Malta, then dried and a number of tests are carried out to ensure the high quality of the product.
Medicinal cannabis may be purchased with a doctor’s prescription. This development will increase the patient’s access to an alternative treatment based on medicinal cannabis.
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta is registering a daily increase in both positive cases of coronavirus and in the number of patients who require hospital treatment due to the pandemic.
The local health authorities confirmed that the total number of patients receiving treatment at Mater Dei hospital increased to 42 patients, of whom 5 are at the Intensive Care Unit. Most of the patients in hospital are between 24-49, an age group which had not been given the booster jab yet. The health authorities are not excluded that the number of patients requiring hospital treatment will increase in the coming days.
The number of new COVID-19 cases continued to increase as well, with 252 new cases. This bring the total of active cases to 2,190.
The Superintendent of Public Health Dr. Charmaine Gauci is not ruling out that the recent increase in the positive cases is due to the Omicron cariant of COVID-19, although it has still not been found in Malta. Dr. Gauci added that travelling and socialising during the festive period are also of concern and causing an increase in the positive cases of coronavirus. The pandemic has claimed 471 people so far.
A total of 1,012,731 vaccine doses have been administered, including 172,357 booster doses.
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Maltese authorities have refused the request of German NGO Sea-Eye to disembark 233 migrants who were rescued in four operations between today and yesterday in the Maltese search-and-rescue and coordination area. Amongst the migrants, there are four pregnant women and eight children.
The Armed Forces of Malta said that “Malta is not in a position to provide a place of safety” and instead directed the German NGO to Tunisia, as the nearest port of safety.
Even tough the German NGO informed Maltàs rescue coordination centre about all developments, a search for a fifth boat in distress remains unsuccessful.
Three weeks ago, the humanitarian NGO, Alarm Phone requested the Maltese authorities to save some 430 people within Maltàs SAR. Altough Tunisia accepted the migrants to avoid a shipwreck, three of the migrants lost their life.
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta is registering a continuning increase of new Covid-19 cases. The local health authorities has confirmed 291 new cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours; thehighest number for these last nine months. With 100 confirmed recoveries, the number of known active cases is now up to1,791.22 patients are presently being treated at Mater Dei Hospital. 3 of them are in theintensive care unit. The pandemic has claimed 471 lives in Malta to date. A total of 1,007,250 vaccine doses had been administered, including 167,322 booster doses.
Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Chris Fearne said that Malta could expectthe Omicron variant of Covid-19 to reach Malta within days, even though no caseshave yet been detected in Malta.
Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela said “the best defence against the highlytransmissible Omicron coronavirus variant is the booster dose”. Abela said the highvaccination rate in Malta, currently at around 95%, and the booster roll-out “contributed to keeping the number of hospitalisations, especially in intensive care,stable despite the increase in cases”.
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS) – A 29-year-old Italian man has been remanded in custody after being arrested for his alleged involvement in trafficking of €450,000 worth of cocaine and cannabis.
Gennaro Russo, a cafè owner from Naples living at St Paul’s Bay was arrested while driving through Naxxar. He was also found in possession of several sachets filled with drugs and around €20,000.
The man was arrested after days of surveillance by the Drug Squad in St. Paul’s Bay. During a search in a residence and garage in the same locality, and following another raid in a garage in Msida, the police found 15kg of cannabis and 1,5 kilograms of cocaine. €250,000 was also found in cash.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him, including drug trafficking, aggravated possession of drugs and money laundering. The accused had been living in Malta for nine years with no previous criminal record.
The investigations are still ongoing.
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Maltese health authorities confirmed 221 new coronavirus cases on Thursday as 153 patients recovered from the virus. This is the highest number of positive cases in the last five months.
No deaths related to coronavirus have been reported in the last 24 hours. So far, 471 deaths were confirmed due to the pandemic.
The number of active cases is at 1600, of which 20 are being treated at Mater Dei hospital. Three patients are in the intensive care unit.
To date, the health authorities have administered 1,005,114 vaccine doses of which 165,403 are booster doses.
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta has become the first European country to legalise cannabis for recreational use following a final parliamentary vote on Tuesday.
The 36 MPs representing the Labour government backed the bill, with 27 MPs from the Nationalist Opposition voted against. The bill becomes law once the President of Malta George Vella gives his approval which is expected by the end of this week.
The Maltese government has described the bill as the decriminalisation of cannabis, a reform which grants the legal supply, acquisition and consumption. Over 50 organisations including church entities, NGOs and social partners joined forces with the Nationalist opposition against the proposed reform. However, the NGO ReLeaf – established to promote a reform in cannabis policy – was the most influential voices in support of the reform. At present, people found in possession of up to 3.5g of cannabis are no longer arraigned in court. Instead, they appear before a Justice Commissioner who can impose fines from €50-100. However, they may still be detained by the police for up to 48 hours, with the stated aim of obtaining information about their suppliers. Through the new reform, this regime is only kept in place for those found in possession of 7-28g of cannabis.
Individuals can cultivate up to 4 plants for personal use while the law also paves the way for the creation of non-profit organisations which would cultivate cannabis for the exclusive use of their members. Members would be limited to receiving no more than 7g in a single day, with a monthly limit of 50g.
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – In view of the increase in positive COVID-19 cases in Malta, the government announced that it will be mandatory to wear a mask in all public places as from next Saturday. Malta is registering an average of 85 new cases a day. The total number of active cases is 1,336.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health Chris Fearne Fearne said this will ensure that social, cultural, and business activities over the Christmas period carry on without disruption.
However, he added “the authorities are not excluding that the coronavirus cases will continue to increase and therefore, the public health authorities are not excluding that more restrictions will be imposed once again if the number of people receiving hospital treatment continues to increase. The number of people treated for Covid-19 in hospital has risen to 27, with four patients in intensive care. Fearne confirmed that no cases of the Omicron variant were registered yet in Malta. However, he stressed that considering the inevitable situation, the authorities will eventually confirm the first cases in the future. It was also announced that the period between the second and third dose will be reduced from 6 months to 4 months and therefore after a person has taken two doses and 4 months have passed, he will be able to apply for the booster.
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Lista Azzurra, headed by Vincenzo Catalano from Palermo who has been living in Malta for 25 years, won the elections for the first Committee of Italians Abroad (COMITES) obtaining 384 votes (out of 524 valid cast ballots).
“From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank all those who took part in this journey with great dedication, ideas, participation and courage. I thank all the voters and fellow citizens and we as Lista Azzurra will do our best to represent and support the Italian Community in Malta”, said Catalano, on the Lista Azzurra Facebook page following the announcement.
This is a very important historical moment for the Italian community in Malta, which for the first time will be represented institutionally through a recognized organization. Comites will lend itself to being the voice of Italians in Malta, their interests, their priorities, their dreams but also their challenges and concerns as Italians in Europe and in the world. The Comites of Malta will now be part of all the Italian Comites around the world.
“On behalf of the list that I will have the honor to represent, together with the Councilors group of Lista Azzurra and our team of experts, we will work to promote the necessary synergies to ensure that our community can live, work and grow with serenity on this beautiful island”, declared Catalano.
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews