COVID-19 WRAP | At least 10 parliament officials have tested positive as SA's Covid-19 cases climb to 106,108

June 23 2020 - 21:31

111 deaths in a single day as SA hits another grim Covid-19 milestone

Just a day after the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases breached the 100,000 mark in SA, the health ministry confirmed that another milestone had been hit.

On Tuesday, the health ministry announced that 111 Covid-19 related deaths in the past 24 hours, the biggest single-day increase in fatalities. This means that there are now more than 2,000 fatalities linked to the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus.

This is just 15 days after the 1,000 death milestone was hit on June 8. The first fatality was reported on March 27.

June 23 2020 - 21:21

At least 10 parliament officials have tested positive for Covid-19

At least 10 parliament staff members have contracted Covid-19 since the coronavirus hit South African shores three months ago.

Parliament spokesperson Moloto Mothapo said that of the 10, three had fully recovered, six remain quarantined and fully supported, while one had died.

“Parliament’s community has also not been immune from infections, with at least 10 officials reported to have tested positive,” said Mothapo in a statement issued late on Tuesday.

June 23 2020 - 19:00

Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 9.14 million, death toll at 473,031

More than 9.14 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 473,031​ 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

June 23 2020 - 18:30

Police investigating three cases of 'soldiers assaulting civilians'

Police are investigating three cases in which soldiers are accused of assaulting civilians.

A fourth case of a solider allegedly assaulting a colleague is also under investigation.

This is according to defence minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, who revealed in a written reply to a parliamentary question published on Tuesday that - with the exception of the widely reported Collins Khosa case - the department's internal board of inquiry had not been convened to deal with the other cases.

June 23 2020 - 17:46

Western Cape chalks up 1,500 Covid-19 deaths and new hospitalisation record

The Western Cape reached another bleak Covid-19 milestone on Tuesday as it chalked up its 1,500th death.

The province recorded 76 new deaths since Monday - a daily record - to reach the milestone. It also set new highs for people in hospital (1,653) and in intensive care (326).

June 23 2020 - 16:08

Two Kaizer Chiefs players test positive for Covid-19

Two unnamed Kaizer Chiefs players have tested positive for Covid-19 and will immediately go into mandatory quarantine for the next 14 days‚ the club has announced.

Chiefs said the results of two players have come back positive following a series of Covid-19 tests that were conducted last Friday as they prepared for the expected return to non-contact training.

June 23 2020 - 15:49

Why Covid-19 can run rife in meatpacking plants

Meat-processing plants around the world are proving coronavirus infection hotspots, with an outbreak at a factory in Germany leading to Guetersloh becoming on Tuesday the first area in the country to be ordered back into lockdown.

More than 1,500 workers at the Guetersloh plant tested positive for the virus that causes Covid-19, while outbreaks have also hit meat and poultry plants in Britain in recent days. In many rural parts of the US, meatpacking plants have been the main source of infection. 

The meat industry is particularly susceptible to coronavirus infections because of the nature of the work: intense physical labour, conducted indoors at close proximity to other workers.

June 23 2020 - 15:07

Government has faced 116 legal challenges to lockdown

The government has received more than 100 legal challenges against its coronavirus lockdown and regulations since they were introduced almost three months ago.

Co-operative governance & traditional affairs (Cogta) minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma told a plenary session of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) on Tuesday that litigation was one of the challenges the government had to deal with during the fight to contain the  spread of the virus.

June 23 2002 - 15:04

204 test positive for Covid-19 at Eastern Cape boarding school

The Eastern Cape health department is considering converting Makaula Senior Secondary School into an isolation facility after 204 people there tested positive for Covid-19.

The KwaBhaca (formerly Mount Frere) school made headlines on Monday when education department superintendent general Themba Kojana told DispatchLIVE that 24 of a group of 30 pupils had tested positive for Covid-19.

June 23 2020 - 14:45

Novak Djokovic says he tested positive for coronavirus

Tennis world number one Novak Djokovic said on Tuesday he has tested positive for coronavirus.

Djokovic joins a slew of other infected players who took part in an exhibition tennis tournament in the Balkans.

"Novak Djokovic tested positive for a virus Covid-19," read a statement from his staff.

"He is not showing any symptoms," it added.

June 23 2020 - 14:31

'We are now riding into a raging storm': Mkhize on 100,000 infections

Health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize has taken a swipe at critics saying the government was not doing enough to curb the spread of Covid-19 as the number of infections in SA exceeded 100,000.

The number of deaths related to the pandemic was 1,991 as of Monday.

Mkhize said on Tuesday that as many as 4,000 cases had been recorded over a 24-hour cycle since the outbreak in March.

June 23 2020 - 14:00

First African Covid-19 vaccine trial kicks off on SA soil

In a major milestone for the country, the continent and the global fight against the pandemic the first participants from across Africa will be vaccinated this week in a South African A trial as the world searches for a prevention against acquiring Covid-19.

Called The South African Ox1Cov-19 Vaccine VIDA-Trial, it has enrolled 1,950 adult volunteers, ages 18 to 65, all of whom are HIV negative.

Additionally, 50 HIV-positive volunteers have enrolled.

All are intended to remain on the trial for a year.

June 23 2020 - 11:59

Zweli Mkhize launches temporary Covid-19 facility in Nelson Mandela Bay

June 23 2020 - 08:57

PODCAST | Witnesses relive the day Collins Khosa died

In this episode of Boots on the ground: behind SA’s national lockdown, we speak to the witnesses and victims who were present when Collins Khosa died.

June 23 2020 - 08:06

Abuse hotline calls spike by 200% in lockdown

The state’s gender-based violence command centre has received nearly 50,000 pleas for help since lockdown began.

But activists say it’s the tip of the iceberg.

June 23 2020 - 07:35

SA hits 101,000 Covid-19 cases as deaths approach 2,000

South Africa passed another grim Covid-19 milestone on Monday, as it surpassed the 100,000 mark for confirmed infections. This is less than three months since the first recorded death.

There were also a further 61 Covid-19 related deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the total deaths to 1,991.

However, according to Prof Salim Abdool Karim, a leading clinical infectious diseases epidemiologist and government adviser, this was “more or less” where experts predicted it would be in its fight against the pandemic.

June 23 2020 - 07:29

Cyril gives SA a reality check: it's going to be a bloodbath

President Cyril Ramaphosa has delivered a dire warning to SA.

There was no avoiding the impending jobs tsunami, he said, as he faced revolt over state relief and lockdown.

June 23 2020 - 07:26

Gauteng taxis back on the road after one day shutdown

June 23 2020 - 07:14

Covid-19 vaccine must get to 'everyone', says WEF

It is essential that a coronavirus vaccine becomes available to all across the globe, according to the World Economic Forum.

“As distribution of the vaccine across the world becomes the next major priority of global health organisations, there is an urgent need to make sure that the vaccine reaches everyone across the world,” the forum said in a statement.

It proposed creating a pairing mechanism for vaccine innovators and vaccine manufacturers.