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MaltaToday 6 January 2021 MIDWEEK

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2 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 6 JANUARY 2021 NEWS COVID-19: Four deaths, 158 new cases and 74 recoveries registered 158 new cases of COVID-19 were registered on Tuesday, the health ministry announced yesterday. Active cases stand at 1,702 after 74 recoveries and four deaths were registered. Deaths stand at 226. Total recoveries stand at 11,460, while total cases stand at 13,388. 2,602 swab tests were carried out in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of swabs to 526,858. Yesterday 's cases are still being investigated, but the cases indicat- ed 30 were family members of pre- viously known cases, eight were contacts of positive work col- leagues, 16 cases were direct con- tacts with other positive cases, and 10 were from social gatherings. Four deaths The first case, a 96-year-old woman who was confirmed posi- tive on 17 December, died yester- day at the Good Samaritan Long- term Care Facility. A 71-year-old woman who was confirmed positive on New Year's Day, died at Mater Dei Hospital on Monday. The third case was an 83-year- old man who was confirmed posi- tive on Boxing Day and died earlier on Tuesday at Mater Dei Hospital. The last death was an 85-year- old woman who was confirmed positive on 26 December and died earlier on Tuesday at Mater Dei Hospital. LAURA CALLEJA BUSINESSES will now be given assistance according to the loss incurred during the pandemic, Enterprise Minister Miriam Dalli said. Dalli made the announce- ment at a press conference on Tuesday on Malta's revised wage supplement scheme. Dalli said the scheme covers replaced employees in summer 2020 to be paid from October 2020. "This is a new and fairer sys- tem to help businesses and self-employed who were hit worse by the covid-19 econom- ic fallout," Dalli said. Dalli said the revised scheme would see an increased invest- ment in saving jobs, with 60% of applicants retaining the cur- rent amount of wage supple- ment or higher. Dalli said that companies who saw growth or surplus would not be eligible for the wage supplement. Dalli said the wage supplement for those employees replaced would be paid from October 2020. The applicant will have to provide a written declaration, signed by the legal representa- tive of the applicant, that termi- nation was a voluntary basis. The legal representative of the applicant must declare that the employment conditions for the employee being replaced are not less favourable than those of employees being replaced. Malta Enterprise CEO Kurt Farrugia said that the revised wage scheme was a much-need- ed significant change to assist those businesses which were hit the most. "The scheme will reopen for those who were eligible to date. Wage supplements will be con- tinued to be paid on a monthly basis," Farrugia explained. Farrugia said that businesses are not required to re-apply as Malta Enterprise will be using the same application originally submitted by applicants. Dalli said that this scheme would continue to support en- terprises hit by the pandemic. "Not only just to save business- es but also to help them grow and be successful," she said. Supplement according to % drop in sales 55% or greater - €800 (full time) and 500 (part time) 45% up to 54% - €640 (full time) and €400 (part time) 35% up to 44% - €480 (full time) and €300 (part time) 25% up to 34% - €320 (full time) and €200 (part time) 10% up to 24% €160 (full time) and €100 (part time) Revised wage supplement to be based on pandemic losses Revised wage supplement will be calculated according to the percentage drop in sales incurred - any companies that experiend a surplus will not be eligible

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