COVID-19 - The African Mirror

Jul

26

2020

Antibody tests aren’t a COVID-19 panacea. But they’re a useful additional tool

COVID-19

EFTYHIA VARDAS, Clinical specialist Virology, Stellenbosch University AS the COVID-19 pandemic escalates, South Africa is struggling to keep up with the demand for testing. This has pushed laboratory professionals and clinicians to consider using alternative tests that are commonly used to diagnose and detect exposure to other viral infectious diseases. The Conversation Africa’s Ina Skosana asked Professor Eftyhia Vardas to explain what’s being done. What’s the most commonly used test? Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests are the standard means of diagnosing viral respiratory infections. It is a molecular test that detects the viral genetic material that indicates the presence of…

Jul

25

2020

By The African Mirror

Senegal strengthens coronavirus testing for travellers

COVID-19

SENEGAL is strengthening its coronavirus testing capacity to enable travellers to get tested before leaving the country and testing those arriving in the West African state. Senegal, which depends on tourism for around 4% of GDP, has reported 9,422 cases since the outbreak, with 182 deaths. It lifted a ban on international flights from July 15 but said it will apply the principle of reciprocity to travellers from countries that do not allow citizens from Senegal. Around 1.7 million people holidayed in Senegal in 2019. The health ministry has accredited four testing centres in the capital Dakar, from only one…

Jul

24

2020

By The African Mirror

15 Zambian MPs, 11 parliamentary staff contract COVID-19

COVID-19

FIFTEEN members of the Zambian parliament and 11 members of staff have tested positive for COVID-19, the health minister has announced. The infection of the MPs and staff comes days after the assembly suspended sittings because a lawmaker had died of the respiratory disease. Zambia's coronavirus cases have surged to 3,856 from 1,632 at the beginning of July, with deaths rising to 136 from 30 over the same period, minister Chitalu Chilufya told reporters. The heavily indebted southern African country, the No. 2 copper producer on the continent, is bracing for an economic contraction of over 4% this year because…

Jul

24

2020

By The African Mirror

Kenya COVID-19 hospital gears up for surge in new infections

COVID-19

BAZ RATNER AT the Machakos COVID-19 field hospital about an hour's drive from the Kenyan capital, workers struggle to put a giant metal tent frame in place to serve as a new ward. Machakos county, which has 92 active cases of the virus, has already met the required minimum of 300 beds per county for COVID-19 patients, set by the national government. But as national figures surge, Machakos is preparing for more infections. Positive cases in Kenya have nearly doubled in the last two weeks to 15,601, mirroring a continental surge. Africa topped 750,000 cases on Wednesday. "When you see…

Jul

24

2020

By The African Mirror

South Africa’s COVID-19 billions reaching recipients – Ramaphosa

COVID-19

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER THE billions aimed at providing relief to millions of South Africans facing economic hardships as a result of the COVID-19 shutdowns are reaching its desired recipients, President Cyril Ramaphosa has revealed. In April, the South African government announced an R500-billion social relief and economic support package as its coronavirus response and assist businesses, workers, and households. Ramaphhosa said that over 4.4-million people have now received the special COVID-19 grant, which assists those who are unemployed and do not receive other forms of support. “So far, an amount of R2.2-billion has been paid out to these recipients. There…

Jul

23

2020

By The African Mirror

Spiralling COVID-19 infection rate forces South Africa to close schools

COVID-19

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER IN a desperate measure to slow down the rising COVID-19 infections, South Africa is closing public schools for four weeks and extending the school year beyond 2020. This drastic measure was announced by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in a special address to the nation and comes after pressure from teacher unions and school governing bodies for school to be closed during a period when infections are expected to rise dramatically. At 408 052 infections, South Africa ranks fifth among the worst hit countries in the world. Over 6 000 people have died from COVID-19. Ramaphosa announced…

Jul

23

2020

By The African Mirror

South Africa’s 59% excess deaths imply hidden COVID-19 toll

COVID-19

TIM COCKS SOUTH Africa witnessed some 17,000 extra deaths from natural causes or 59% more than would normally be expected between early May and mid-July, scientists said. This suggests that more people are dying of COVID-19 than shown in official figures. New data by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) showed that just in the week leading up to July 14 there was an excess of 5,022 deaths by natural causes, about half more than usual. Africa's most industrialised nation is in the middle of a runaway epidemic of the coronavirus, with cases increasing by more than 10,000 a…

Jul

23

2020

By The African Mirror

Africa’s confirmed COVID-19 cases exceed 750,000

COVID-19

TOTAL confirmed coronavirus cases in Africa have passed 750,000, a Reuters tally of government and World Health Organization data showed on Wednesday. The tally showed the continent had 751,151 cases, 15,721 deaths and 407,461 recoveries. Cases crossed the 500,000 mark on July 8. The virus hit Africa later than other continents and transmission rates are lower than elsewhere. Still, this could translate into a prolonged, years-long outbreak, WHO said in May. Most countries on the continent have imposed restrictions on public gatherings and international travel and introduced curfews among other steps meant to curb the spread of the virus. Although…

Jul

20

2020

By The African Mirror

First human trial of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine shows promise

COVID-19

ASTRAZENECA's experimental COVID-19 vaccine was safe and produced an immune response in early-stage clinical trials in healthy volunteers, data has shown, with the strongest response seen in people who received two doses. The vaccine, called AZD1222 and being developed by AstraZeneca and scientists at Britain's University of Oxford, did not prompt any serious side effects and elicited antibody and T-cell immune responses, according to trial results published in The Lancet medical journal. "There is still much work to be done before we can confirm if our vaccine will help manage the COVID-19 pandemic, but these early results hold promise," vaccine…

Jul

20

2020

By The African Mirror

Ethiopian farmers slaughter thousands of chicks as COVID hits demand

COVID-19

KUMERRA GEMECHU ETHIOPIAN poultry farmers have destroyed hundreds of thousands of chicks, as the sector reels from a collapse in demand from the hotel sector because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ethiopia's movement restrictions to try to contain the novel coronavirus, which causes COVID-19, has led hotels in Addis Ababa to reduce operations or even to close, removing a major source of demand for poultry products. Government data was not available but EthioChicken, one of the biggest suppliers of poultry products in Addis Ababa, said it had to kill nearly 650,000 chicks in five weeks over May and June and estimated…