Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1225830
26.03.2020 4 NEWS MELITA Limited has opened its Melita More TV channel to all customers for free until further notice. is brings to 10 the total num- ber of channels that have been made available to customers for free since the Coronavirus out- break began. Melita More offers the best in- ternational and Maltese drama, comedy and action TV and, ad- ditionally, from 30 March, view- ers of the channel will also be able to exclusively watch the final series of the popular, long-run- ning television soap opera Ħbieb u Għedewwa. Mireille Muscat, Head of Mar- keting at Melita Limited, said Melita was committed to help- ing customers get through what is a difficult time for everyone. "While ensuring that our net- work keeps everyone connected, we are also opening up an oppor- tunity for those customers who normally do not watch interna- tional TV to have a broader range of entertainment options availa- ble for the whole family," she said. "At the same time, Melita con- tinues to support Maltese talent by investing in producing new, original content such as the hugely popular Ħbieb u Għedew- wa, to which we have provided a platform to produce and broad- cast the final series." e popular programme has kept viewers enthralled with its tales of the ups and downs of dai- ly life with all its success, pain, joy, friendship, suspicion and gossip. In addition to Melita More, the following channels are now avail- able for free to all customers; Dis- ney Channel, Cartoonito, Nick Junior Global and Nickelodeon HD, HGTV, BBC Entertainment, TLC, IDX and Fox Life and Mel- ita More. Melita adds Melita More to list of channels available to all customers Coronavirus MFSA issues guidance to consumers on use of financial services MALTA has registered 19 new cases of coronavirus, with local transmission overtaking imported cases for the first time since the outbreak. Public Health Superintendent Charmaine Gauci said eight of the new cases involved people who contracted the virus abroad, while four contracted the virus in Malta but are linked to known cases of coronavirus. Another seven cases involve people who contracted the infection locally but no obvious link has yet been established. e total number of cases so far is 129 including two have completely recovered from the infection. One of the new cases involves an 81-year-old man, who is stable and is being kept at Mater Dei Hospi- tal's Infectious Disease Unit. Gauci said the 61-year-old who had been admitted to hospital's in- tensive care unit (ITU) is unstable but not critical. All other cases are doing well, and in many instanc- es people are experiencing light symptoms. Gauci reiterated her appeal for everyone to obey social distancing and stay at home, especially elderly people, who could be more vulner- able to developing complications. She said that while generally people were obeying the instruc- tions to stay indoors, there were still some who gathered in vil- lage squares. She insisted that the numbers were expected to contin- ue increasing but social distancing would help to avoid sharp spikes Malta registers 19 new cases of coronavirus, total goes up to 129 Superintendent of Public Health, Charmaine Gauci Television soap opera Hbieb u Ghedewwa is on Melita More THE Malta Financial Services Authori- ty (MFSA) has issued a set of guidelines to consumers, also outlining the measures it has put in place to safeguard their interests in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. These guidelines complement the con- tinued efforts being made by the Authori- ty in its engagement with authorised firms to understand the potential impact which COVID-19 is having on their business and clients. Through the publication of regula- tory updates, the MFSA's priority is to en- sure that authorised firms have contingency plans in place to keep offering their services as close to normal as possible but also con- tinue to treat customers fairly. When it comes to banking services, cus- tomers are being encouraged to make more use of online and mobile banking services in view of the social distancing guidelines issued by the Health Authorities. Consum- ers are also being made aware of a potential surge in internet purchases and are advised to be vigilant of their own security online, when making payments. For those consumers who are considering either investing, buying or selling an invest- ment, caution is being advocated in taking these decisions in times like these, since information may be outdated in a matter of days and forecasts may prove unreliable. Generally, it is highly recommended that in- vestors consult a licensed financial interme- diary before investing. Insurance policy holders are being guided on the various measures which are being taken by the MFSA in relation to the differ- ent types of insurance policies which could be affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. To this effect, a separate Circular has also been issued, addressing in more detail the levels of coverage for each type of insurance and the applicable terms for the most common situations faced by policy holders, as a result of the current pandemic. For travel insur- ance specifically, guidance is being given on actions consumers should take in the event of a holiday cancellation, self-isolation and when making travel plans. During these times, the general public is also being advised to be cautious of fraudu- lent schemes or financial scams which may try to take advantage of the COVID-19 out- break to misappropriate funds or obtain sen- sitive personal information. Caution should be taken when being presented with social media adverts which give advice in relation to investments in developing cures, request donations, promote medical and health in- surance policies for COVID-19, offer sale of supplies, and entities which use fake/phish- ing websites or emails with malicious con- tent. Any suspicious activity should be re- ported immediately to the MFSA via https:// www.mfsa.mt/about-us/contact/ As events unfold, the general public is en- couraged to keep following updates on fi- nancial products and heed advice on their relationship with financial services pro- viders through a dedicated section on the MFSA website.