Lighting Without UV Filters Left Malta PM with Temporarily Impaired Vision

The damage to Prime Minister Joseph Muscat’s eyes is believed to have occurred from bright lights without UV filters during a Sunday activity. However, investigators are also looking at the possibility that the UV radiation could have emanated from cameras as well.

Muscat was hospitalised in the early hours of Monday morning suffering from acute pain to both his eyes. The same symptoms – most of them not as severe as the prime minister’s – were also reported by some 60 other persons – all of whom attended a political activity in Zurrieq on Sunday.

The prime minister suffered from temporary blindness, caused by burns to his cornea, and burns to his face. Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis, junior ministers Chris Fearne and Michael Falzon, backbencher Joseph Sammut and Labour candidates for the European Parliament Elections Miriam Dalli and Cyrus Engerer were also hospitalised.

It is believed that the burns have been caused by UV radiation and a police investigation is underway.

While the possibility that the radiation may have originated from cameras – belonging to different news stations – is not being ruled out, sources said it is far more likely that it came from lighting installed in the tent, provided by Nexos Lighting Technology.

Read the full report at Malta Today.

09 Apr