COVID-19 - The African Mirror

Dec

29

2020

COVID-19 claims the lives of South African politicians

COVID-19

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER TWO prominent South African politicians and two leading trade unionists have died within days of each from COVID-19, as the second wave of the pandemic gains momentum, with South Africa passing the one millions mark in infections. Nomvuso Shabalala, an ANC member of parliament and former deputy mayor of Ethekwini, Dr Nchaupe Mokoape, the former president of the Azanian People’s Organisation and the South African Students Organization and David Simpunzi, the secretary-general of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and Patrick Mkhize died within days of each other. In its tribute to Shabalala (60), who was a…

Dec

28

2020

By The African Mirror

South Africa’s total COVID-19 cases cross 1 million mark amid second wave

COVID-19

PROMIT MUKHERJEE SOUTH Africa's total coronavirus infections since the first case in March crossed a million on Sunday, its Health Ministry said, just days after a new faster-spreading variant was confirmed to be present in the country. The grim milestone comes nine days after the country, the worst hit in Africa, reported 900,000 cases. The country had taken two weeks to reach 900,000 from the 800,000 seen early in December. Several hospitals and medical centres have reported wards overflowing with patients with many healthcare workers cancelling their vacations to tackle a huge influx of patients. Mediclinic International Plc, among the…

Dec

26

2020

By The African Mirror

The new coronavirus variant in South Africa: Are concerns justified?

COVID-19

SOUTH Africa has identified a new variant of the novel coronavirus, which authorities believe is driving a surge in COVID-19 infections that could overwhelm its healthcare system. Several countries, including Britain which has found the mutant variant in cases linked to South Africa, have banned flights from South Africa, disrupting holiday travel and frustrating tour operators. WHAT IS THE NEW VARIANT? The new variant, referred to as 501.V2, was discovered by a network of scientists around South Africa who have been tracking the genetics of the SARS-COV-2 virus. The variant appears to be focused in the south and southeast regions…

Dec

26

2020

By The African Mirror

Hong Kong imposes 21-day quarantine for visitors, adds South Africa to banned list

COVID-19

HONG KONG has extended a compulsory quarantine by an extra seven days to 21 days for all visitors outside China, effective Friday, in stepped-up efforts to prevent a new variant of the novel coronavirus from spreading. Authorities also banned all people who have stayed in South Africa in the past 21 days from boarding for Hong Kong. Hong Kong has already banned all flights arriving from the United Kingdom from Monday and the city said on Wednesday two students who returned from the UK were likely to be infected with the new super-virulent strain of COVID-19. In a statement midnight…

Dec

26

2020

By The African Mirror

Canada expands added screening to travellers from South Africa amid COVID-19 variant worries

COVID-19

CANADA has expanded enhanced screening and monitoring measures to travelers arriving from South Africa, citing the rise of a more infectious variant of COVID-19 in that country, similar to one that has emerged in the United Kingdom. This follows a move on Wednesday by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to extend to January 6 a ban on passenger flights arriving from Britain, citing the variant. It also announced added screening for travellers, from Britain. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on AI and Quantum Computing. No cases of the variant have been found in Canada so far, Health Canada said in a…

Dec

25

2020

By The African Mirror

South Africa set to surpass COVID’s first wave peak

COVID-19

THE rate of coronavirus infections in South Africa will soon surpass the peak hit in the first wave earlier in the year, the health ministry has warned, as the country battles a new, faster-spreading variant of the respiratory disease. Positive cases increased by 14,046, pushing total infections to 954,258, the ministry said. The positivity rate - or the percentage of all coronavirus tests performed that are actually positive - was at 26%, around double the average rate of infection the country had seen before December when the virus showed signs of waning. South Africa's health department has identified a new…

Dec

25

2020

By The African Mirror

Logistics firms reap “vaccine economy” benefits as EU gears up for roll-out

COVID-19

JOHN MILLER JOERN Schneemann thought he would be helping manage logistics for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics this year. Then, the COVID-19 crisis intervened, pushing the event back to 2021. Instead, the head of Swiss logistics company Kuehne + Nagel's European Expo & Events unit has been setting up vaccination centres in convention and sporting venues in Germany's North Rhine-Westphalia state, the nation's most-populous with 18 million residents. Schneemann's pandemic pivot illustrates how logistics firms like Kuehne + Nagel, Germany's Deutsche Post DHL, Denmark's DSV Panalpina and Spain's Grupo Logista have turned COVID-19 disruption into opportunity, grabbing a share of the…

Dec

25

2020

By The African Mirror

Eritrea reports first COVID-19 death – information ministry

COVID-19

ERITREA has reported its first death from COVID-19, its information ministry said. The ministry said in a statement on its website late on Wednesday its total confirmed cases of the coronavirus stood at 877, while recoveries were 599. It gave no more details on the death. Eritrea reported its first coronavirus case on March 21.

Dec

24

2020

By The African Mirror

Malawi closes borders again following coronavirus resurgence

COVID-19

MALAWI will close its borders for 14 days and restrict public gatherings to 100 people following a new surge in cases of the coronavirus, the southern African nation's presidential task force on COVID-19 said on Tuesday. After nearly two months without new positive cases, Malawi on Tuesday recorded 46 new infections, bringing the total number of infections to 6,248, with 187 deaths, according to the health ministry. Malawi's borders and airports re-opened in October as positive cases fell, although some experts fear the real figure may be higher as just over 80,000 tests have been conducted. Malawi has a population…

Dec

24

2020

By The African Mirror

Tunisia to ban New Year celebrations, extends night curfew

COVID-19

TUNISIA will ban all events including celebrations for the new year and extend its night curfew until January 15 to help combat the spread of coronavirus, the health minister said on Tuesday. The government imposed the night curfew in October and banned travel between regions in the North African country. On Monday, Tunisia said it had recorded a total of 121,718 coronavirus infections, including 4,199 deaths. Tunisian authorities said they had ordered vaccines from U.S. drugmaker Pfizer. - Thomson Reuters Foundation.