second wave - The African Mirror

Jan

2021

S.A fears post-Christmas homecoming, funerals

SOUTH Africa's second wave of COVID-19 cases, which has already far outpaced its first, could be driven even higher by post-Christmas holiday homecoming and overcrowded funerals, according to the health minister. Africa's most industrialised nation has recorded 1.34 million cases of COVID-19 so far, and some 37,000 deaths. Daily new cases, which surged to a record high of 21,000 earlier this month, have since fallen to just over 12,000 a day -- around the level its first-wave peak back in July. The pandemic and lockdowns to tackle it have damaged an economy that was already in recession and left millions…

Dec

2020

By The African Mirror

Africa crosses 2.5 million COVID-19 cases

NEWS

ANURAG MAAN THE total number of coronavirus cases in Africa has crossed 2.5 million, according to a Reuters tally, as a second wave of infections hits the continent. Countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Mauritania, Ghana and Ivory Coast have seen a sharp rise in cases and are reporting near-record levels of infection, according to a Reuters tally. [nL1N2IQ3KC Quick measures including travel restrictions and border closures enabled countries in Africa to limit the spread when first cases were reported in March. But the economic impact of the measures prompted governments to ease them. As people relax…

Dec

2020

By The African Mirror

Second COVID-19 wave hits West & Central Africa as weather cools

COVID-19

PAUL LORGERIE and EDWARD McALLISTER A second wave of coronavirus infections is hitting West and Central Africa, and experts are warning it could be worse than the first as cooler weather descends on a region where most countries cannot afford a vaccine. Nigeria, Niger, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Mali, Togo and Democratic Republic of Congo are all at or near record levels of infection, data compiled by Reuters shows. Infections in Senegal are also rising fast. Compared to the United States and Europe, the region has so far been spared the worst of the pandemic. West and Central African countries are…

Dec

2020

By The African Mirror

Congo to impose curfew against second wave of coronavirus

COVID-19

STANIS BUJAKERA THE Democratic Republic of Congo will impose a curfew and other strict measures, including the mandatory wearing of masks in public spaces, to fight a second wave of the coronavirus, its virus response team said on Wednesday. The mining industry in the world's leading producer of cobalt and Africa's biggest copper producer will not be affected by the new measures. Congo has recorded 14,942 cases of coronavirus and 364 deaths since the epidemic was officially declared in March. But it has seen a steady increase in recent weeks, with 345 new cases declared on Wednesday, mostly in the…

Dec

2020

By The African Mirror

Nigeria may be on verge of second wave of COVID-19 infections warns health minister

COVID-19

FELIX ONUAH NIGERIA may be on the verge of a second wave of COVID-19 infections amid rising number of confirmed cases in Africa's most populous country over the last few weeks, the health minister has announced. Osagie Ehanire, speaking at a televised news conference in the capital Abuja, said 1,843 cases were recorded last week compared with 1,235 two weeks before that, and 1,126 the week before that. "We may just be on the verge of a second wave of this pandemic," he said. His comments came a day after South Africa said it had officially entered a second wave.…

Dec

2020

By The African Mirror

South Africa enters second wave of COVID-19, says health minister

COVID-19

SOUTH Africa has officially entered a second wave of the new coronavirus as the number of infections per day exceeds 6,000, the health minister said on Wednesday, raising concerns that restrictions to limit the spread could be tightened. Health Minister Zwelini Mkhize said in a televised address that infections stood at over 828,000 cases with deaths at more than 22,500, the most on the continent. Daily cases peaked at around 15,000 in July. "The increases are shown in about six of the provinces and that is why it is important for us to now recognise this is a second wave,"…

Dec

2020

By The African Mirror

South African reintroduces tough anti-COVID-19 measures in response to second wave

COVID-19

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER THE resurgence of a COVID-19 second wave has forced South Africa to reintroduce tough measures in the Nelson Mandela Bay in Eastern Cape, an area which has seen new high infection rates which has led to overwhelmed hospitals. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the measures, in a special address to the nation, which will apply to the Nelson Mandela Bay, which has been declared a COVID-19 hotspot. He said the government would assess the Sarah Baartman region in the Eastern Cape and the Garden Route region in the Western Cape, which have also shown signs of…