COVID-19 - The African Mirror

Apr

08

2022

Over two-thirds of Africans infected by COVID virus since pandemic began

COVID-19

MORE than two-thirds of Africans have been infected by COVID-19 since the pandemic started, 97 times more than reported confirmed cases, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) study published on Thursday. The study found that by September 2021, 800 million Africans had been exposed to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, compared with 8.2 million cases reported at that time. The WHO said that under-counting was happening everywhere, but to a lesser degree than in Africa. It said that on average globally, true infections were 16 times higher than confirmed cases. The agency's regional director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso…

Apr

07

2022

By The African Mirror

COVAX, African Union decline to buy more doses of Moderna’s COVID shots

COVID-19

COVAX, the global project to share COVID-19 vaccines, and the African Union have declined options to buy additional doses of Moderna's shot, as developing nations struggle to allocate supplies. The global alliance did not exercise the option for 166 million doses of the shot for the third quarter of 2022, as well for 166 million doses in the fourth quarter, which expired on April 1, a Moderna spokesperson said. COVAX, which is backed by Gavi, the World Health Organization and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, is struggling to place more than 300 million doses, Reuters reported in February. Moderna and…

Apr

06

2022

By The African Mirror

Bye bye lockdown…

COVID-19

CYRIL RAMAPHOSA FOR the past 750 days, South Africa has been in a National State of Disaster. This is an extraordinary situation that is unprecedented in our country’s history. The declaration of a state of disaster was a response to a global health crisis that posed a grave threat to the lives and the well-being of our people. There is no doubt that such a response was necessary under these circumstances. The declaration of the National State of Disaster on 15 March 2020 empowered government to take the measures that prevented many more people from becoming severely ill and saved…

Apr

04

2022

By The African Mirror

SA lifts Covid-19 state of disaster restrictions

COVID-19

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER LOW Covid-19 infections, few deaths and admissions to hospitals were some of the reasons behind the South African government’s decision to end the state of disaster of 750 days. The government imposed it on March 15, 2020 in response to the outbreak of Covid-19 which has killed close to 100 000 South Africans and infected millions. SA President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the state of disaster will be replaced by soon-to-be-promulgated health regulations. He said: “The end of the National State of Disaster also means that the Coronavirus Alert Levels will no longer apply. The few transitional…

Mar

31

2022

By The African Mirror

Ghana to start producing own Covid-19 vaccines in January 2024

COVID-19

GHANA will start producing its own COVID-19 vaccines in January 2024, President Nana Akufo-Addo said in his State of the Nation Address in parliament. A National Vaccine Institute would be established to lay out a strategy for the West African country to begin the first phase of commercial production for the jabs, he said without providing further details. "A bill will shortly be brought to you, in this House, for your support and approval for the establishment of the National Vaccine Institute," he said. So far Ghana has fully vaccinated around 21.4% of its 30-million-odd inhabitants against coronavirus, according to…

Mar

30

2022

By The African Mirror

Explainer: Omicron ‘stealth’ COVID variant BA.2 now dominant globally

COVID-19

JENNIFER RIGBY and JULIE STEENHUYSEN A sub-variant of the highly transmissible Omicron version of coronavirus known as BA.2 is now dominant worldwide, prompting surges in many countries in Europe and Asia and raising concern over the potential for a new wave in the United States. Below is a summary of what is known about BA.2. MORE TRANSMISSIBLE BA.2 now represents nearly 86% of all sequenced cases, according to the World Health Organization. It is even more transmissible than its highly contagious Omicron siblings, BA.1 and BA.1.1, however, the evidence so far suggests that it is no more likely to cause…

Mar

25

2022

By The African Mirror

How drug companies are sidestepping the WHO’s technology transfer hub in Africa

COVID-19

PHARMACEUTICAL company Moderna announced on 7 March 2022 that it would develop a site in Kenya to manufacture COVID-19 vaccines. The company holds much of the key intellectual property relating to the messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines. Due to their higher efficacy, mRNA vaccines are the preferred option in developed countries. They account for 92% of all vaccinations to date in the US and European Union. Author DAVID RICHARD WALWYN, Professor of Technology Management, University of Pretoria Moderna’s decision to continue making the vaccine itself, though on the Kenyan site, is a signal that the company (at least for the moment)…

Mar

22

2022

By The African Mirror

SA lifts curbs, cautions Covid-19 is not over

COVID-19

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER BUOYED by low infection rates and better management of the pandemic, South Africa has announced the end of the state of disaster and a significant relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions on social and economic activity. SA President Cyril Ramaphosa said the state of disaster, which was imposed with the onset of COVID-19, would be replaced by health regulations designed to help South Africans live with the pandemic. Ramaphosa announced the following changes: Masks should only be worn indoors. In office, shops and public transport.Both indoor and outdoor venues can now take up to 50 percent of their capacity…

Mar

23

2022

By The African Mirror

COVID: a two-year journey through lockdowns, lives lost and life-saving research

COVID-19

IT'S been two years since the new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, and its disease, COVID-19 were declared a global public health emergency. During this period, there have been over 433 million confirmed cases of COVID-19, including over 6 million deaths, reported to the World Health Organization. The pandemic changed life across the globe, through lockdowns, sickness and lives lost. It also sparked life-saving research and analysis. The Conversation Africa brings you some of the highlights of its coverage of variants, vaccines, lockdowns and their effects over the period – and what what’s been learned about health systems, policy making and humanity. Authors…

Mar

18

2022

By The African Mirror

WHO says global rise in COVID cases is ‘tip of the iceberg’

COVID-19

JENNIFER RIGBY and MANAS MISHRA FIGURES showing a global rise in COVID-19 cases could herald a much bigger problem as some countries also report a drop in testing rates, the WHO said, warning nations to remain vigilant against the virus. After more than a month of decline, COVID cases started to increase around the world last week, the WHO said, with lockdowns in Asia and China's Jilin province battling to contain an outbreak. A combination of factors was causing the increases, including the highly transmissible Omicron variant and its BA.2 sublineage, and the lifting of public health and social measures,…