HEALTH - The African Mirror

Apr

10

2021

Tunisia to review curfew

COVID-19

TUNISIA’S government will review the 7 pm curfew it has brought in to slow COVID-19 infections, after the president and a powerful labour union said it would hit shops, cafes and restaurants in the month of Ramadan that starts next week. "The measures will be subject to study after the request of the president, who called for a review of the nightly curfew," Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi said. The intervention of President Kais Saied and the UGTT union followed a gathering of hundreds of workers in the city of Sousse who said they would keep shops and cafes open, and…

Jul

12

2021

By The African Mirror

Senegal reports 529 new coronavirus infections

COVID-19

SENEGAL reported 529 coronavirus cases yesterday, a record in new daily cases there since the start of the pandemic, and a sign that a third wave of infections was gaining speed. The growing infection rate has alarmed authorities, but they have stopped short of imposing stringent measures to curb the spread after previous restrictions led to economic hardship that helped to fuel violent protests in March. Senegal has reported 46,179 coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic, and 1,194 deaths. So far it has vaccinated close to 600,000 from a total population of around 16 million. Reuters data shows that…

Apr

10

2021

By The African Mirror

Sputnik shot less effective vs S.A variant

COVID-19

RUSSIA’S Sputnik V shot is less effective against the South African COVID-19 variant but still does better than other vaccines, the lead scientist behind it was quoted as saying on Friday. "With regards to the 'South African' variant, the effectiveness of the antibodies produced by Sputnik V, like all other vaccines, against it declines," Alexander Gintsburg said in an interview with the Interfax news agency. He said that Sputnik V was tested against the British and South African variants, as well as the original strain, first detected in China's Wuhan province, by laboratories in the United States. The labs used…

Jul

11

2021

By The African Mirror

Activities to celebrate the life of late Joburg Mayor

COVID-19

THE ANC in Johannesburg has announced a series of activities to honour the late Executive Mayor of Johannesburg, Geoff Makhubu, who will be laid to rest on Wednesday. The ANC is to hold a virtual prayer service and memorial services on Monday and Tuesday for Makhubo (53). Tributes have continued to pour in for Makhubo, who passed on from COVID-19 related complications. Makhubo died six days after he was admitted to hospital. He tested positive for COVID-19 on June 20, went into self-quarantine and was admitted to hospital on July 3. The death of Makhubo, who has been at the…

Apr

11

2021

By The African Mirror

Kenya’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout has got off to a slow start: the gaps, and how to fix them

HEALTH

KENYA has started the first phase of its COVID-19 vaccination strategy. This was made possible by the delivery of just over one million AstraZeneca vaccines that arrived in two batches. One batch came via the global COVAX initiative, which aims to provide equal access to COVID-19 vaccines, and a 100,000 shot donation came from the Indian government. CATHERINE KYOBUTUNGI, Executive Director, African Population and Health Research Center Kenya’s first phase is meant to run until the end of June 2021. The initial plan was to vaccinate high priority groups, such as frontline healthcare workers. A few weeks into the rollout,…

Apr

10

2021

By The African Mirror

New research shows South Africa’s levy on sugar-sweetened drinks is having an impact

HEALTH

THREE years ago South Africa introduced Africa’s first major tax on sugar-sweetened beverages based on grams of sugar. The tax now stands at about 11% of the price per litre. KAREN HOFMAN, Professor and Programme Director, SA MRC Centre for Health Economics and Decision Science - PRICELESS SA (Priority Cost Effective Lessons in Systems Strengthening South Africa), University of the Witwatersrand We assessed the impact in recently published research. We found that the health promotion levy coincided with large reductions in purchases of taxable beverages, in terms of both volume and sugar quantities. We didn’t find significant changes for non-taxable…

Jul

12

2021

By The African Mirror

Ex-cabinet minister, board chair succumbs to COVID-19

COVID-19

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER DR BEN Ngubane, a prominent South African who was a former cabinet minister, provincial premier, diplomat and ex-chair of Eskom and SABC boards has died from COVID-19 related complications. Ngubane, 79, passed away this morning at a hospital in Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal. While his last prominent positions were those as chair of the boards of Eskom and the SABC, Ngubane was also premier of KwaZulu-Natal, the minister of arts and culture as well as South Africa’s ambassador to Japan. Ngubane died at the Melomed Richards Bay Hospital. The institution’s manager Randal Pedro said: “It is with regret…

Jul

11

2021

By The African Mirror

Algerian prime minister infected with COVID-19

COVID-19

NEWLY-appointed Algerian Prime Minister Ayman Benabderrahmane is infected with COVID-19, according to the Algerian state TV. The prime minister, who had just formed his new government on Wednesday, will quarantine for seven days, but will continue performing his duties virtually, state TV said. President Abdelmadjid Tebboune ordered his government to reimpose physical distancing and mask-wearing measures across the country on Saturday, as well as to speed up a vaccination drive to cope with a surge in infection cases, it said. The North African country has so far reported 145,296 confirmed cases of coronavirus including 3,824 deaths.

Jul

11

2021

By The African Mirror

Arab countries pledge aid as Tunisia struggles with COVID pandemic

COVID-19

TAREK AMARA SEVERAL countries have promised to help Tunisia fight the coronavirus as the north African country recorded its highest daily death toll since the pandemic began, putting its health care system under severe stress and depleting oxygen supplies. President Kais Saied said in a statement that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had pledged to send vaccinations and whatever medical equipment Tunisia needed. Libya also pledged to send medical aid, the president's office said in a separate statement. Officials and local media said that Kuwait, Turkey and Algeria had promised to help. Qatar had already sent a military plane…

Apr

09

2021

By The African Mirror

COVAX vaccines reach 102 countries

COVID-19

STEPHANIE NEBEHAY THE COVAX vaccine facility has delivered nearly 38.4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to 102 countries and economies across six continents, six weeks after it began to roll out supplies, according to a statement yesterday. The programme offers a lifeline to low-income countries, in particular, allowing them in the first instance to inoculate health workers and others at high risk, even if their governments have not managed to secure vaccines from the manufacturers. But there have been some delays, the GAVI vaccine alliance and World Health Organization said in a statement. Reduced availability of delayed some deliveries in…