The Covid-19 situation in Malta is still under control in spite of an increase in cases, namely because the number of people requiring medical care in hospital remains extremely low, Prime Minister Robert Abela said in a press conference on Friday.

Abela was speaking the morning after a marathon meeting with social partners in the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development, where the situation pertaining to the pandemic was discussed.

During the press conference, Abela praised Malta's healthcare service but also renewed a call for a balance between the health sector and the economy - describing it as a balance between ensuring that both people's lives and their livelihood can go on in a secure manner.  

New measures related to mass events and the wearing of masks were also confirmed during the press conference by the Prime Minister and the Health Minister Chris Fearne.

'A catastrophe is not coming - live normal lives while following all the necessary precautions' - Prime Minister

The Prime Minister insisted that while the number of cases are increasing, this must be taken in the context that the number those cases which require hospital care has remained very low.

"There shouldn't be the attitude that it's like nothing is happening, but at the same time let us not say that a catastrophe is coming because it is not the case. The reality is that the number of cases are increasing but the symptoms are light. Let us keep that context in front of us, and live normal lives while keeping in mind all the necessary precautions as have been announced and as may be announced in the future", the Prime Minister said.

He said that the easiest but worst thing that one can do is to implement extreme measures which paralyse the economy and people's lives.

“Work needs to continue, tourism needs to continue, investment needs to continue and where we need to adjust we will, but it is important to keep the balance between health and economy and above all people’s quality of life”, he said.

Read more: MUMN and government reach agreement - directives suspended

"It was to be expected that from the 1 July (when the airport opened) and more so on the 15 July, that the rate of infection would increase. Statistics show that we had, from the airport alone, 118,000 arrivals and 90,000 departures. In terms of the high speed ferry to Sicily, there were 22,300 arrivals and departures. We are speaking about thousands of people who came and left Malta. The Alternative would have been to keep the airport and ports closed. Everyone recognises what the consequences would have been. That is the balance we reached."

He said that today the government is protecting people's health as it has been over the past months. The healthcare results remained excellent, he said, adding that there was no compromise between the economy and health. He said that the government will keep finding this balance between protecting the lives and livelihoods of people.

He said that when the decision was taken to move back to normality, 450 people who fell unemployed, found work again and that unemployment had dipped below the 4,000 mark again.

Asked by The Malta Independent whether, given the increase in cases, the situation is still under control, Abela said that it is because the country's medical facilities are still under control. He said that while no expense had been spared to be ready for all eventualities - something which Abela said was a key tenet of the country's handling of the pandemic - the extra wards and equipment that had been set up had not been used.

He said that the government's message remains that the pandemic is "completely under control" but that people should act with prudence and caution while understanding the context of the situation.

New restrictions on mass events, visits to elderly homes; wearing of masks enforced with fines

During the press conference, a number of new restrictions and enforcement measures were announced particularly pertaining to mass events, elderly homes and the wearing of masks.

Health Minister Chris Fearne said that the government had always worked based on evidence, and evidence showed that there were three particular binaries which needed to be followed for effective control of the virus: social distancing, isolation of positive patients and subsequent contact tracing, and protection of the vulnerable.

Building on measures announced last Thursday, Fearne said that mass events would now be capped to 100 people for indoor venue, and 300 for outdoor venues.  Venues must also have a clear sign up to indicate what their maximum capacity of people is.

He said that all enforcement agencies: environmental health officers, the Malta Tourism Authority, and the police as well, will be involved in strong enforcement to ensure that these measures are followed.

Fearne announced that dance floors must all close as well as social distancing is practically impossible in these cases.

Read more: €50 fine for not wearing mask, two new swab centres to open

When it comes to vulnerable people, Fearne said that their protection remains a priority and as a result new measures will be implemented at homes for the elderly.

Carers will now be required to regularly get tested, while visitors will be separated from residents by a screen of perspex - a restriction which was already in place beforehand. 

Furthermore, there will be a €50 fine on all those who are caught not wearing a mask where it is obligatory - meaning that this applies to places such as public transport, the Gozo Channel, and in shops.

MAM disagreeing with Charmaine Gauci's recommendations, Prime Minister says

Abela said that during the MCESD's meeting, widespread agreement on measures for mass events was reached with everyone save for with the Medical Association of Malta, whose directives have continued.

The MAM agreed with the measures, he said, but had a reservation regarding the organisation of activities like weddings, where the MAM had a contrasting position to that of the Superintendence, Abela said.

He said that it is the Superintendent who looks at, in her discretion, what measures would be needed in the country, and lamented that while the MAM had said in a statement that they fully trusted Gauci, they were now disagreeing with her own recommendations.

He appealed to the MAM to continue dialogue, and keep the people's health as the top priority.  "Industrial peace is crucial to keep the economy strong as is the need to have the best medical service being provided", he said.

He said that things cannot be looked at sectorally - doctors need to think about their obligation to protect the health of the country's patients as well as themselves, he said.

He said that this is a moment where the healthcare system needs to be performing at its best, and that it not be paralysed by industrial action. He said he is sure that with more dialogue agreement can be reached.

An eight-hour meeting of the MCESD failed to lead to an agreement between the Medical Association of Malta and the government delegation led by Prime Minister Robert Abela and Minister Christopher Fearne. Directives at Mater Dei will continue for a second consecutive day. Agreement was found with the Malta Union of Nurses and Midwives however, and directives were suspended.