COVID-19 - The African Mirror

May

31

2021

Kenya extends COVID-19 curfew by 60 days

COVID-19

KENYA has extended its nightly curfew by 60 days to slow the spread of COVID-19, the Interior Ministry said on Sunday. The move followed a decision by President Uhuru Kenyatta in late March to extend the 10 p.m to 4 a.m. curfew. A ban on political gatherings and processions that could turn into super spreader events was also extended for 60 days, as was a prohibition on overnight events and vigils, the ministry said. When the first coronavirus cases were confirmed in Kenya in March 2020, the government closed schools, imposed a curfew, banned public gatherings and on multiple occasions…

May

31

2021

By The African Mirror

Egypt lifts coronavirus restrictions

COVID-19

EGYPYT will lift restrictions it imposed earlier this month to curb the spread of the coronavirus, including early closure of shops and restaurants, from June 1, the cabinet said. Since May 6, stores, malls and restaurants had to close by 9 p.m after a rise in infections.

May

30

2021

By The African Mirror

COVID Science: Latest

COVID-19

NANCY LAPID THE following is a roundup of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. India variant shows resistance to antibody drugs, vaccines Antibody drugs and COVID-19 vaccines are less effective against a coronavirus variant that was first detected in India, according to researchers. The variant, known as B.1.617.2, has mutations that make it more transmissible. It is now predominant in some parts of India and has spread to many other countries. A multicenter team of scientists in France studied a B.1.617.2…

Jun

05

2021

By The African Mirror

Don’t panic, says Zim govt

COVID-19

ZIMBABWE’S government has urged citizens not to panic because it had enough COVID-19 vaccines for those needing a second shot after some centres ran out of doses this week and turned people away. The southern African nation, which aims to vaccinate 10 million people by the end of the year, has to date received just over 1.735 million doses from Sinopharm, Sinovac and Covaxin. Some 684,164 people have received a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine while another 364,240 got their second shot. Agnes Mahomva, the national coordinator on government's response to COVID-19, told state broadcaster ZBC that just over…

Jun

05

2021

By The African Mirror

Embassies in Tanzania can import vaccines

COVID-19

TANZANIA has announced that embassies and international agencies can import COVID-19 vaccines to inoculate their citizens and staff against the coronavirus. The move is part of a more proactive approach to tackling the disease following the death in March of President John Magufuli, who underplayed the pandemic and expressed scepticism of vaccines. The announcement came after experts presented President Samia Suluhu Hassan with a plan, including the issuing of vaccines in the country. "President Samia (Suluhu Hassan) said embassies and international organisations have been permitted to import COVID-19 vaccines to inoculate their own nationals and staff to meet their countries…

Jun

04

2021

By The African Mirror

‘Congo faces third wave of coronavirus’

COVID-19

DEMOCRATIC Republic of Congo is facing a third wave of coronavirus infections, with its epicentre in the capital, Kinshasa, one of Africa's most populous cities, Health Minister Jean-Jacques Mbungani said on Thursday. Like many other African countries, Congo has officially reported relatively few cases and deaths, but health authorities are concerned about a recent spike in infections that saw 243 new cases recorded on Wednesday, the highest daily figure since March. "I officially announce the onset of the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in our country, with Kinshasa as its epicentre," Mbungani told reporters. A low vaccination rate and…

May

30

2021

By The African Mirror

Fund for vaccine production in Africa

COVID-19

GLOBAL development groups including International Finance Corp (IFC) said they will explore helping African producers such as Aspen Pharmacare Holdings Ltd boost vaccine manufacturing in Africa, which received relatively few COVID-19 immunizations produced by rich nations. The news comes after the European Union last week promised 1 billion euros ($1.22 billion) to build vaccination manufacturing hubs in Africa. France's President Emmanuel Macron also promised on Friday to help the continent produce more vaccines locally. IFC's partners, including U.S. International Development Finance Corp (DFC), Proparco and German Development Finance Institution, said they will provide financing to manufacturers to strengthen vaccine production…

May

30

2021

By The African Mirror

COVID-19 kills 32 DRC MPs

COVID-19

THIRTY-two members of parliament in the Democratic Republic of Congo, or about 5% of the total, have died from COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, the vice president of the National Assembly said. Even as Congo, like many other African countries, has officially reported relatively few cases and deaths, the virus has rippled through the corridors of power, killing prominent lawmakers and members of the president's entourage. "The latest update announced by the government reports 31,248 confirmed cases and 780 deaths, among them 32 members of parliament," said Jean-Marc Kabund, the first vice president of the lower house of…

Jun

04

2021

By The African Mirror

Ghana player tests positive for COVID-19

COVID-19

A player on Ghana's Under-24 team has tested positive for the novel coronavirus after arriving in Japan for a friendly match, the Japan Football Association (JFA) has announced. The player had been isolated from the rest of the squad and staff, who are themselves isolated at a designated facility, the JFA said in a statement. The news comes just two days after the JFA cancelled a friendly match against Jamaica as 10 of their players were unable to board a flight to Japan due to coronavirus testing issues. Japan is battling a fourth wave of COVID-19 just 50 days before…

Jun

04

2021

By The African Mirror

France donates 184,000 doses to Senegal

COVID-19

FRANCE has donated 184,000 doses of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine to Senegal through the COVAX vaccine-sharing facility, the programme's sponsors said in a statement. This is the second batch of COVID-19 vaccines Senegal has received through the global scheme after an initial 324,000 AstraZeneca doses arrived in March. The arrival of the latest batch is timely. Senegal's supply of vaccines is running low just as thousands of people are due for their second jabs. Most of the country's 16 million citizens have yet to receive a first dose. Around 456,000 people in Senegal had been vaccinated as of Tuesday, programme sponsors…