COVID-19 WRAP | SA passes 10,000 Covid-19 deaths

August 8 2020 - 21:07

SA passes 10,000 Covid-19 deaths

South Africa on Saturday recorded 301 new Covid-19 related deaths, bringing the total number of deaths in the country to 10,210. 

Of the reported deaths in the last 24 hours, 39 are from the Eastern Cape, 23 from Gauteng, 154 from KwaZulu-Natal, 22 from the Western Cape, 21 from North West, five from the Northern Cape and 37 from Limpopo.

A total of 553,188 cases have been recorded in SA so far.

The health ministry said 3,220,265 tests have been conducted to date, with 36,607 conducted since Friday. 

August 8 2020 - 17:41

14 officials on carpet over shoddy Beitbridge border fence, says De Lille

An investigation which revealed a litany of incompetence and wrongdoing in the emergency construction of a fence between SA and Zimbabwe has recommended disciplinary action against 14 government officials.

Public works and infrastructure minister Patricia de Lille said senior officials in her department had allegedly committed a range of acts of misconduct during the procurement and construction of the 37km Beitbridge border fence.

The fence would be investigated “in terms of the presidential proclamation mandating the Special Investigating Unit to investigate Covid-19 related projects and bring the matter before the SIU tribunal”.

August 8 2020 - 15:54

Mangosuthu Buthelezi tests positive for Covid-19 but is asymptomatic

IFP founder Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi has tested positive for Covid-19 but is asymptomatic.

According to a statement issued by the Buthelezi family on Saturday, the elderly politician had been in close contact with a carrier of the virus this week and had isolated himself while awaiting test results.

“Earlier this week he [Buthelezi] was informed that he had been in contact with a positive case,” said family spokesperson Bhekuyise Buthelezi.

August 8 2020 - 13:13

'Shabby and shocking': Mkhize's verdict on hospital where pensioner died in car park

A 67-year-old man admitted to a Pietermaritzburg hospital's flu clinic died in a donated “shabby shack or tent” in the car park.

During a visit to Northdale Hospital on Saturday, health minister Zweli Mkhize said he was shocked to discover how its patients who should have been in fever clinics were accommodated during the Covid-19 outbreak.

“About three months ago I gave a directive for all hospitals to create fever clinics wherein people must be triaged,” said Mkhize.

August 8 2020 - 12:40

Covid-19 claims Council for Medical Schemes chair

Chair of the Council for Medical Schemes Prof Lungile Pepeta has died from Covid-19.

A statement released by the council on Saturday described Pepeta as a passionate and committed leader who embodied a spirit of service.

“[He was one] who poured his life into the service of others through his chosen profession.”

August 8 2020 - 11:25

Covid-19 corruption could end ANC rule, says Tutu foundation

The ANC risks losing power if it cannot halt corruption among its members, the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation warned on Saturday.

“For the state, the window of opportunity is closing to demonstrate the courage and the muscle to act decisively and hold the culprits in its ranks accountable, regardless of who they are,” read a statement from foundation CEO Piyushi Kotecha.

“If it closes we must brace ourselves for turbulence. For, in democracies, when the people are ready, governments change.”

August 8 2020 - 11:04

WATCH | Musicians swap star billing for busking amid lockdown blues

He spent seven years performing all over the world with SA music legend Johnny Clegg, but after nearly five months of lockdown Dan Shout has gone back to basics, busking on Sea Point promenade in Cape Town.

The saxophonist said he had been “blown away” by the reception his trio received “for coming out and doing something as opposed to being defeatist and staying at home doing nothing”.

August 8 2020 - 10:50

Booze ban, visiting hospitals & becoming complacent: Zweli Mkhize speaks

Health minister Zweli Mkhize addressed the media on Thursday about the government's response to Covid-19. He is in KwaZulu-Natal for a two-day visit.

Here are five important takeouts from his address:

Spread of Covid-19

The minister expressed concern that there were not enough people who were taking Covid-19 safety precautions seriously.

August 8 2020 - 9:05

Relief Therapeutics sees 60-70% chance of Covid-19 drug approval

Relief Therapeutics' chairman said he was optimistic its RLF-100 (aviptadil) drug will win approval for treating Covid-19 patients in a matter of months.

The Swiss group owns the rights to the drug in the US and Europe. Its US partner NeuroRx is running multicentre clinical trials, including a Phase IIb/III trial in patients who are severely ill because of the consequences of Covid-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus.

“The active pharmaceutical ingredient of aviptadil has been used for a lot of years in different indications. From a safety standpoint we are quite optimistic,” Raghuram Selvaraju told Swiss newspaper The Market in an interview posted late on Friday.

—Reuters

August 8 2020 - 9:03

Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 19.39 million, death toll at 719,795

More than 19.39 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 719,795​ 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