COVID-19 WRAP | Five suspects nabbed for R5.7m UIF fraud in predawn raid by Hawks

July 4 2020 - 13:59

Ugandan dies after setting fire to himself over motorcycle impounded over Covid-19 violations

A Ugandan man has died after setting fire to himself in a police station when officers allegedly demanded a bribe to release his motorcycle, which he was using as a taxi and which had been impounded over violation of coronavirus restrictions.

The case has provoked anger among Ugandans who say it reflects widespread abuse by security personnel, including beatings, detentions and extortion that in the current climate are often disguised as enforcement of coronavirus regulations.

July 4 2020 - 13:27

PODCAST | Lockdown day 100: complacency kills

Saturday July 4 2020 marks SA’s 100th day in lockdown.

The country has progressed from a very daunting lockdown level 5 to what people are now calling lockdown level 3 lite. With the easing of lockdown restrictions many South Africans seem to have lost their fear of Covid-19, with some people saying that the virus is just a flu that should not be feared.

July 4 2020 - 12:56

Five suspects nabbed for R5.7m UIF fraud in predawn raid by Hawks

Hawks investigators descended on several properties in Pretoria in an early morning raid on Saturday to round up five suspects linked to a R5.7m UIF fraud and money-laundering scam.

Hawks spokesperson Col Katlego Mogale said that three men and two women — aged between 25 and 68 — were taken into custody in the predawn raid.

“This is following an intensive investigation into a case registered at Brooklyn SAPS relating to the Unemployment Insurance Fund Covid-19 relief. The suspects were traced to various residences in Soshanguve, Atteridgeville and Mamelodi,” she said.

July 4 2020 - 12:38

Several police stations temporarily closed because of Covid-19

Several more police stations around the country have had to be temporarily closed over the past two days for decontamination due to members testing positive for Covid-19.

Stations that had to be closed included Carletonville, Olifantsfontein, Dunnottar, Norwood, Laudium and Musina.

July 4 2020 - 11:55

England's pubs, restaurants and hairdressers reopen as lockdown eases

People were finally allowed to drink in a pub, have a meal in a restaurant or get a haircut on Saturday for the first time in over three months as England took its biggest steps yet towards resumption of normal life.

Pubs were permitted to start serving from 6am, sparking worries of over-indulgence on what the media dubbed a "Super Saturday" of coronavirus restrictions being eased.

Some hairdressers were reported to have opened at the stroke of midnight.

In another relaxation of lockdown rules that were first imposed in late March two households can now meet indoors as long as social distancing is maintained, and overnight stays are allowed.

- Reuters

July 4 2020 - 11:51

India coronavirus cases hit record high amid monsoon rains

India recorded its highest singe-day spike of coronavirus cases on Saturday, with over 22,000 new cases and 442 deaths, as infections rose in the western and southern parts of the country amid heavy monsoon rains.

The western state of Maharashtra, home to the densely packed financial capital Mumbai, has the country's highest total, recording 6,364 fresh cases of the virus on Saturday and 198 deaths from Covid-19.

India has the third-most confirmed cases in the world, exceeding 640,000 on Saturday, according to health ministry data. It follows the US, Brazil and Russia.

- Reuters

July 4 2020 - 11:43

Australia's Victoria reports 108 new coronavirus cases, biggest jump in more than 3 months

Australia's second most-populous state, Victoria, reported its biggest jump in coronavirus cases since late March on Saturday, forcing it to expand stay-at-home orders to two more suburbs and sending nine public housing towers in a complete lockdown.

The southeastern state recorded 108 new cases on Saturday, up from 66 on Friday and more than 70 new cases in each of the previous four days, forcing authorities to reimpose lockdowns in more than 30 suburbs earlier in the week.

Australia's most populated state, New South Wales, reported six new coronavirus cases on Saturday, five of them returning travellers from overseas. The sixth is a past infection and not an active case, according to health officials. The state reported no new cases on Friday.

Overall, Australia has weathered the coronavirus pandemic much better than most other nations, with just over 8,300 cases and 104 deaths so far.

- Reuters

July 4 2020 - 10:56

Donald Trump Jr's girlfriend tests positive for coronavirus

The girlfriend of President Donald Trump's eldest son has tested positive for coronavirus, US media reported on Friday.

Kimberly Guilfoyle, a former Fox News television personality who is dating Donald Trump Jr, had travelled to South Dakota to see the US president's Fourth of July speech and celebration fireworks at Mount Rushmore.

Guilfoyle, 51, was immediately isolated after discovering she had the virus in a routine test conducted on anyone expected to come in close contact with the president.

July 4 2020 - 10:02

Covid-19 forces biggest HIV conference to go virtual for the first time

Around this time of the year every two years the HIV community gathers in droves in a huge international convention centre somewhere in the world for the world’s largest conference on HIV and Aids, the International Aids Conference.

But as from Monday people across the world will just be a click away from this science-packed five-day conference as it goes virtual because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The conference brings together scientists, policymakers, health care professionals, people living with HIV and media. The 23rd International Aids Conference was initially scheduled to be held in San Francisco and Oakland in the US.

July 4 2020 - 8:00

100 days into lockdown, and Covid-19 will soar - this is what you can expect

As of this morning, on day 100 of SA's lockdown, there were 177,124 cases of Covid-19 recorded across the country, and 2,952 of those have resulted in deaths.

This is a dramatic rise in case numbers, and an indication that the 100-day milestone might have landed at around the same time the peak truly begins.

By yesterday morning walks, scheduled meals and long daily naps were the new normal for hundreds of Covid-19 patients admitted to one of the biggest field hospitals in Gauteng.

July 4 2020 - 7:45

'Gauteng is a ticking time bomb': pregnant mom on bringing newborn into the world during pandemic

During 100 days of lockdown, daily routines have been turned upside down, and have changed how we interact with people, run businesses, seek employment, raise children and bring a newborn into a world rattled by a global pandemic.

TimesLIVE asked five people to share their experiences of the lockdown so far, and detail what they expect over the next 100 days as the coronavirus sweeps across South Africa.

July 4 2020 - 7:35

TIMELINE | How Covid-19 slowly then relentlessly spread across SA

It started as a trickle as reports surfaced about holidaymakers returning from abroad and having to go into quarantine but, as the weeks slipped by, it transformed into a virus unleashing a storm across the country.

July 4 2020 - 7:30

'When people zol': SA's lockdown in quotes

“We have decided to take urgent and drastic measures to manage the disease, protect the people of our country and reduce the impact of the virus on our society and on our economy,” said President Cyril Ramaphosa, as he announced a 21-day hard lockdown of the country.

At the time, the coronavirus pandemic had hit SA. There were 61 cases then.

July 4 2020 - 7:20

IN PICS | A look back on 100 days of coronavirus lockdown in SA

SA hit the 100 day mark of the national lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak on July 4. 

From social distancing to Covid-19 testing, here are photos that encapsulate the lockdown.