COVID-19 WRAP | 29 more deaths recorded in SA

October 03 2020 - 20:47

29 more deaths recorded in SA

The health ministry released the latest Covid-19 stats on Saturday, which showed that 29 more deaths have been recorded, bringing the total number of Covid-19 related deaths to 16,938.

The cumulative number of Covid-19 cases in the country now stands at 679,716.

October 03 2020 - 13:27

South Korea police set up 'bus walls' to prevent protests amid Covid-19 concerns

South Korean police mobilised hundreds of buses to head off any political rallies in the capital, Seoul, on Saturday with authorities determined to prevent another cluster of novel coronavirus cases emerging from a protest.

South Korea has been held up as a coronavirus mitigation success story but it saw a flare-up of more than 1,800 infections linked to a church and a big anti-government rally in August.

The spread of the virus has slowed in recent weeks but the government has banned more than 100 demonstrations planned for Saturday's National Foundation Day, warning of strict punishment for any illegal protest.

—Reuters

October 03 2020 - 12:22

Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 34.53 million, death toll at 1,026,151

More than 34.53 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 1,026,151​ have died, according to a Reuters tally.

Infections have been reported in more than 210 countries and territories since the first cases were identified in China in December 2019.

—Reuters

October 03 2020 - 11:14

Malaysia will not re-impose coronavirus curbs for now despite spike

Malaysia will not re-impose widespread novel coronavirus restrictions on travel despite a recent spike in infections, which a government minister said was partly caused by migrants from neighbouring countries.

Malaysia imposed a nationwide lockdown in March but has been gradually lifting the curbs, though authorities have warned that they could be reinstated if daily increases in infections reached triple-digits.

The Southeast Asian country has seen a steady climb in cases in the past week and on Friday reported 287 new infections, the highest daily rise since it began tracking the pandemic.

—Reuters

October 03 2020 - 09:07

Mainland China reports 10 new Covid-19 cases

Mainland China reported 10 new Covid-19 cases on Friday, the same as a day earlier, the health authority said on Saturday.

The National Health Commission said in a statement that all the new cases were imported infections involving travellers from overseas.

It said there are currently 189 active cases of the disease in mainland China, including one serious case, and an additional four suspected cases.

The total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in mainland China now stands at 85,434, while the death toll remains unchanged at 4,634.

—Reuters

October 03 2020 - 09:00

Trump treated with experimental antibody cocktail for Covid-19

President Donald Trump has been treated with an experimental antibody cocktail for Covid-19 and is moving to a military hospital as a precautionary measure, White House officials said on Friday.

The president's physician, Dr. Sean Conley, said in a statement that Trump "remains fatigued but in good spirits" after receiving an intravenous dose of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc's dual antibody.

Trump was also taking immune system boosters zinc and vitamin D, aspirin, and other generic drugs.

—Reuters