The Medical Association of Malta has extended its industrial action telated to the Covid-19 crisis to Friday, giving the government one week to deal effectively with the situation.
In a statement following a council meeting on Tuesday, MAM said that its directives, which came into force last week, have been followed by over 95% of members making the strike an organisational success.
One health centre doctor is reported as positive and another is in quarantine and waiting for the result of testing, MAM said.
The Covid-19 situation has deteriorated significantly leading to sudden and sharp increase in numbers, and that the tally of new cases on Wednesday is expected to reach a new record.
On Tuesday 11 August, four patients have been admitted to Mater Dei with serious Covid 19 symptoms, bringing the tally to seven hospitalised patients.
Government has up to now reversed the decision on Mass events over 300 people, but continues to permit events with numbers up to 300 together with practically minimal and ineffective enforcement, creating ideal conditions for the spread of the virus.
Government also appeared in state of denial basing itself on the false premise that hospitalizations are low, where on the contrary scientific shows that a death for every 75 total cases is to be expected with 3-6 weeks of onset.
That following the 3 Baltic states and Ireland, Slovenia, Emilia Romagna and Puglia regions in Italy, and Greece have put restrictions on travel to Malta, after the US Centre for disease control has declared Malta a high-risk area for Covid.
MAM council resolved that
1. That directives will be extended and remain in force up to Friday 14 August
2. That MAM will suspend its directives for a week from 15 August until Sunday 23 August
3. Unless further measures are taken by the cabinet by that date to effectively bring the epidemic under control MAM will again put back into force all directives including the suspension of all elective surgery as from Monday 24th of August.