COVID-19 WRAP | SA's infections stand at 563 598 and death toll climbs to over 10 600

August 10 2020 - 23:26

SA's Covid-19 cases climb to more than 560 000

The health ministry released the latest Covid-19 statistics on Monday evening, saying SA's total number of confirmed infections stood at 563 598, with the death toll going up by 213.

"Regrettably we report 213 new Covid-19 related deaths: 57 from Eastern Cape, 39 from Gauteng, 11 from KwaZulu Natal, 64 from the Free State, 10 from Mpumalanga, 30 from Western Cape and two from Northern Cape. This brings the cumulative total of reported Covid-19 related deaths to 10 621," the health ministry said in a statement.

The number of recoveries stands at 417 200, translating into a recovery rate of 74%.

August 10 2020 - 18:43

Germany bars fans from soccer matches till at least end of October

The health ministers of Germany's federal and state governments have agreed to extend a ban for spectators in stadiums at Bundesliga soccer matches until at least the end of October due to the coronavirus pandemic, a source told Reuters on Monday.

The Bundesliga season restarted in mid-May after a suspension of more than two months, becoming the first European league to resume under strict rules to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

"We need to stay vigilant. In the current situation, spectators in the stadiums would be the wrong signal," health minister Jens Spahn said in a tweet.

Spahn pointed to a rising number of new coronavirus cases over the past few days and warned against taking any avoidable risks that could further increase the infection rate.

Government officials have repeatedly urged Germans to stick with precautionary measures such as social distancing and wearing face masks, but the rising number of infections suggest some have become less careful during the summer months.

- Reuters

August 10 2020 - 17:04

Cuba reports record number of Covid-19 cases

Cuba reported a record 93 cases of the new coronavirus on Monday as a surge of the disease in the Havana area threatened to stall the re-opening of the country after a partial lockdown beginning in March.

Most of the cases were in Havana, where a partial lockdown was re-imposed on Monday, and in neighbouring Artemisa province. The area has been isolated from the rest of the country where with but few exceptions no cases have been reported in more than two months.

In Havana, restaurants, bars and pools are once more closed, public transportation suspended and access to the beach banned.

Cuba has been hailed as a rare success story in Latin America for its textbook handling and containment of its coronavirus outbreak through contact tracing and isolation of potential asymptomatic carriers of Covid-19.

Perhaps of most concern to officials in Monday's health ministry report was that 22 cases had not been traced to contacts, a figure way above the usual two or three untraceable cases per day.

“We are witnessing a new epidemiological outbreak that puts our entire population at risk,” Cuban Health Minister Jose Angel Portal said during a daily coronavirus briefing on Saturday.

Cuba has reported just under 3,000 cases and 88 deaths to date. 

- Reuters

August 10 2020 - 16:07

Actor Antonio Banderas says has Covid-19, feels 'relatively well'

Spanish actor Antonio Banderas, star of The Mask of Zorro and dozens of other films, announced on Monday, his 60th birthday, that he had tested positive for Covid-19 and was in quarantine.

“I'd like to add that I'm feeling relatively well, just a bit more tired than usual, and confident that I will recover as soon as possible,” he said in a birthday message on Twitter.

August 10 2020 - 15:21

Zizi Kodwa lashes out against ANC leaders accused of PPE corruption

Deputy state security minister Zizi Kodwa has come out strongly against corruption in the ANC, calling on the party to act decisively against it.

Speaking to TimesLIVE on Monday, a day after addressing the Rivonia ANC branch, Kodwa said corruption was “a shame, a disgrace and complete abomination”.

“It's a dark wall, it's a shame, it's a disgrace, it's a complete abomination when humanity, people are doing everything to save their lives, we are busy discussing corruption which is alleged against some of us.”

August 10 2020 - 13:57

SA banks provide R45.5bn financial lifeline to ease the pain of lockdown

South African banks have provided a cumulative R45.5bn in financial relief and loan guarantees to businesses and individuals left financially distressed by the coronavirus pandemic and national lockdown up until August 1.

The Banking Association South Africa said in a statement on Monday that relief of R19.3bn had been offered to individuals and R12.9bn to commercial and small and medium enterprises.

“Separately, R13.26 billion in loans were extended by banks under the Covid-19 loan guarantee scheme,” said the association.

August 10 2020 - 13:25

143,068 recoveries in Gauteng as confirmed cases near 200,000

Gauteng now has 192,767 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 2,579 deaths.

August 10 2020 - 13:05

WHO warns of need to fight new Covid-19 flareups

The coronavirus sweeping the world has shown no seasonal pattern and if health authorities take the pressure off fighting it, it will bounce back, the World Health Organization said on Monday.

Dr Mike Ryan, head of WHO's emergencies programme, said Western Europe and elsewhere needed to react fast to new flareups.

More than 19.92 million people have been reported to be infected by the coronavirus globally and 729,883​ have died, according to a Reuters tally.

-REUTERS

August 10 2020 - 12:33

Defence ministry unmasks fraudsters soliciting bids for 'PPE tender'

South Africa's defence ministry has taken a “dim view” of fraudsters using department of defence letterheads and Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula's name to put out a “tender” for 45,000 face masks. 

Department of defence spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini said opportunistic scammers were soliciting “unsuspecting business community members to tender for a contract” for personal protective equipment.

“These fraudsters have gone beyond using not only [department] letterheads but are now using the name of the minister of defence and military veterans [Mapisa-Nqakula],” said Dlamini.

August 10 2020 - 11:04

Indonesia reports 1,687 new coronavirus cases, 42 more deaths

Indonesia reported 1,687 new coronavirus cases on Monday, bringing its total to 127,083, data from government's COVID-19 task force showed.

The Southeast Asian country also added 42 new deaths, taking that total to 5,765, data showed. 

-REUTERS

August 10 2020 - 08:52

Fake news! Zweli Mkhize does not own a PPE manufacturing company

SA's health ministry rubbished claims on Monday that Dr Zweli Mkhize — at the forefront of the country's battle against the coronavirus pandemic — owned a company that manufactured personal protective equipment (PPE).

“We would like to categorically state that minister Mkhize does not own a PPE manufacturing company nor is he involved in any way in the manufacturing of PPE,” his spokesperson Dr Lwazi Manzi said in a statement.

“In anticipation of any further emergence of fake news, we also categorically state that nobody in minister Mkhize’s family is in the business of manufacturing, selling or distribution of PPE.”

August 10 2020 - 07:32

Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 19.86 million, death toll at 728,534

More than 19.86 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 728,534​ 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