COVID-19 WRAP | Health ministry confirms more than 1,700 new infections since Wednesday

October 02 2020 - 20:31

PPE contracts at a glance: Treasury publishes 'interactive' Covid-19 procurement dashboard

The National Treasury has instructed government departments to report on Covid-19 spend using a format that will allow data to be shared with members of the public.

This comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa issued a directive to state departments in August to submit full information regarding Covid-19 procurement.

“We have since published an interactive Covid-19 procurement data dashboard, which provides more details regarding the previously published reports,” the Treasury said in a statement.

October 02 2020 - 20:26

Lockdown worsens mental health of sex workers

For many South Africans going on lockdown meant staying at home with family while those who had to work did so virtually in most cases.

But for street-based Cape Town sex worker Nicky her life was the complete opposite. Not only did she give up seeing her two-year-old daughter for the fear of exposing her to Covid-19, but as a homeless sex worker the lockdown was characterised by verbal abuse and constant harassment, mostly from the police and other law enforcement officers, including security guards.

“Many times I felt so humiliated as I had to go knock on people’s doors to ask for food. Having no source of income at all was horrible. Begging for food is not something that I’m used to as I’m used to making my own money and supporting myself and my daughter.”

October 02 2020 - 15:43

LISTEN | SA's new travel regulations explained

On Wednesday the government outlined regulations in line with the easing of restrictions on international travel, making mention of high-risk countries to and from which leisure travel is not permitted.

Elaborating on the regulations referred to by President Cyril Ramaphosa during his announcement on the commencement of lockdown level 1, minister of international relations & co-operation Naledi Pandor reiterated the need for travel insurance when coming into the country.

“Everyone travelling to SA must have travel insurance. This is in case they need to get tested on arrival, which will be done at their own cost. Further, if the person tests positive they will also need to go into quarantine at their own cost,” said Pandor.

LISTEN HERE:

October 02 2020 - 13:40

6 things you need to know from Angie Motshekga's level 1 briefing

Basic education minister Angie Motshekga has pleaded with parents to “release” their children to return to school after concerns about attendance under lockdown level 1.

Motshekga on Thursday hosted a media briefing on key developments in the education sector relating to level 1 restrictions.

She said the department's assessment on pupils' attendance showed that between 80 and 90% of pupils have returned to schooling since schools reopened after the Covid-19 break.

October 02 2020 - 13:24

Figures reveal how air travel in SA nosedived during Covid-19 lockdown

Passengers flying and using SA's airports dropped from millions in the past five years to a few hundred thousand during lockdown, the transport department said on Friday morning.

Transport minister Fikile Mbalula said on Friday morning that during lockdown level 4 a total of 19,206 passengers landed at the country's airports.

Most of the flights were for essential services, locals and the repatriation and evacuation of foreign nationals.

October 02 2020 - 13:15

Tunisia reports daily coronavirus record of 1308 cases

Tunisia recorded 1,308 new confirmed coronavirus cases on Wednesday, the health ministry said on Friday, a record since the start of the pandemic, prompting the government to impose a night curfew in two governorates.

October 02 2020 - 13:00

UK PM Johnson says sure Trump will stage "a very strong recovery"

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday he was sure that U.S. President Donald Trump and his wife Melania would stage a "very strong recovery" from COVID-19 after they tested positive for the virus.

"Obviously I think we all want to send our best wishes to the president and the first lady and I've done that this morning as you can imagine," said Johnson, who recovered after being hospitalised with the disease in April. 

-REUTERS

October 02 2020 - 10:45

Poland reports over 2,000 daily coronavirus cases for first time

Poland reported a new record of 2,292 daily coronavirus cases on Friday, according to the health ministry's Twitter account.

The country reported 26 deaths from COVID-19 on Friday. In total, the country of 38 million has reported 95,773 cases of the coronavirus and 2,570 deaths.

-REUTERS

October 02 2020 - 07:33

US President Trump and Melania test positive for Covid-19

US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he and first lady Melania Trump had tested positive for Covid-19 and would immediately quarantine and begin the "recovery process."

"We will get through this," Trump tweeted.

October 02 2020 - 07:14

ANALYSTS' VIEW: Trump goes into quarantine, awaits coronavirus test results

US stock futures dipped on Friday after President Donald Trump said he and his wife will quarantine after a close aide, Hope Hicks, tested positive for the coronavirus. Trump said they are awaiting test results.

October 02 2020 - 07:08

Trump starts 'quarantine process' after aide Hope Hicks tests positive for coronavirus

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he was beginning a quarantine process after Hope Hicks, a top adviser and trusted aide, tested positive for the coronavirus.

October 02 2020 - 06:00

Six months of the Solidarity Fund: How is it doing?

The Solidarity Fund, which has in just six months raised R3.1bn and so far disbursed nearly R1.3bn, could be used as a model for future public/private partnerships to tackle big societal challenges such as food insecurity and gender-based violence.