COVID-19 WRAP | Ramaphosa wishes Zweli Mkhize a speedy recovery after testing positive for Covid-19

October 19 2020 - 20:53

Italy's govt agrees on Covid-19 hard-hit Lombardy region new curbs request - health ministry

Italy's government agreed on a request from the Lombardy region, hard hit by Covid-19, to impose further restrictions to curb a new surge in infections, an health ministry spokesman told Reuters on Monday.

Lombardy, centred around Italy's financial capital Milan, accounts for some 128,400 of the over 423,500 coronavirus cases detected in Italy since the outbreak was discovered in February.

The Lombardy region said in a statement it would propose the government stop from October 22 non-essential economic activities and people's movements between 11:00 and 5:00, adding they would also be asked to shut down all large shops on Saturday and Sunday.

—Reuters

October 19 2020 - 20:25

First results of Russian coronavirus vaccine trial to include data from 5,000-10,000 people

Interim results from the late-stage human trial of Russia's main coronavirus vaccine candidate could include data from 5,000-10,000 participants, Denis Logunov, a director at the Gamaleya Institute that developed the vaccine, said on Monday.

Russia's plan to publish preliminary data about the Sputnik V jab as early as November is likely to make it one of the first vaccine developers to share any data from a final stage trial, known as Phase III, but also puts it at odds with competitors.

The Sputnik V trial, involving 40,000 volunteers, has been underway in Moscow since the beginning of September.

—Reuters

October 19 2020 - 18:30

WHO says expects to hear more soon on paused Covid-19 antibody trial

The World Health Organisation's chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan said on Monday she expected to hear more "this week or next week" about clinical trials of an Eli Lilly and Co Covid-19 antibody treatment that were paused because of a safety concern.

US drug maker Lilly said earlier this month it was pausing the government-sponsored trial, called ACTIV-3, which was testing the treatment on Covid-19 patients who required hospitalisation.

—Reuters

October 19 2020 - 18:10

Second wave inevitable if SA doesn't change behaviour: Salim Abdool Karim

With summer season right on the doorstep, many South Africans are consolidating their travelling plans, with some planning beach holidays while for others this will be time to reconnect with families in their home provinces.

But the country's leading epidemiologist and infectious diseases specialist, Prof Salim Abdool Karim, has cautioned that interprovincial holidaying may not be a good idea as it may increase the risk of a second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In an interview with Stephen Grootes on SAfm on Monday on whether travelling during the December holidays could result in a surge of new infections, the chairperson of the Covid-19 ministerial advisory committee said travelling should be limited on “local scale” due to the risk it posed.

October 19 2020 - 16:13

Traditional leaders want to resume initiations, but government says not just yet

The Congress of Traditional Leaders of SA (Contralesa) has announced its intention to resume initiation schools in December, despite the ministry of co-operative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) telling TimesLIVE that no official approval had been given from the government yet.

The schools, which are usually open in winter and summer, were suspended in March as the country went into lockdown to curb the spread of Covid-19.

On Sunday, Contralesa president Kgosi Mathupa Mokoena said traditional leaders will go forward with summer initiation schools.

October 19 2020 - 15:36

More travellers allowed to visit SA as list of high-risk countries is revised

The government has revised its list of high-risk countries and will now allow visitors to SA to stay for three months or longer, subject to Covid-19 protocols.

High-risk countries are defined as those with higher Covid-19 infection or death rates than SA.

The department of home affairs announced the changes on Monday, saying the government recognised that there were a number of regular visitors, mainly from European countries, who have become accustomed to long periods of visitation to SA during summer, when it is winter in the northern hemisphere.

October 19 2020 - 14:51

Job stimulus plan 'is unprecedented in its scale and breadth': Ramaphosa

President Cyril Ramaphosa says the launch of the Presidential Employment Stimulus he announced last week marked a fundamental shift in the government's approach to tackling unemployment.

Writing in his weekly newsletter on Monday, Ramaphosa said: “We are undertaking a far-reaching and ambitious public investment in human capital, with the state as both a creator and an enabler of jobs.

“The Presidential Employment Stimulus is unprecedented in its scale and breadth, involving a public investment of R100bn over the next three years.

October 19 2020 - 11:44

Russia's new coronavirus cases hit new record high of 15,982

Russia's daily tally of coronavirus cases surged to a new record high of 15,982 on Monday, including 5,376 in the capital Moscow, pushing the national case total to 1,415,316 since the pandemic began.

Authorities reported 179 deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the official death toll to 24,366.

- Reuters

October 19 2020 - 10:27

Philippines reports 2,638 more coronavirus cases, 26 deaths

The Philippines recorded on Monday 2,638 new coronavirus infections and 26 additional deaths.

The Southeast Asian country's total confirmed cases had climbed to 359,169, while its death toll had risen to 6,675, the health ministry said in a bulletin.

Total recoveries had increased to 310,303, it said.

- Reuters

October 19 2020 - 09:25

Ramaphosa wishes Zweli Mkhize a speedy recovery after testing positive for Covid-19

October 19 2020 - 09:18

SA the 12th leading nation with Covid-19 deaths

Health minister Zweli Mkhize has confirmed that 1,662 new cases of Covid-19 had been confirmed since the last report.

On Monday, SA was one of the top 12 countries in the world and the leading African country registering the most deaths related to Covid-19.

According to the latest stats, SA has 703,793 infections and 18,471 deaths since the last report.

October 19 2020 - 09:17

Boozers on the roads, partying worry Gauteng police

Police in Gauteng arrested more than 120 people found driving while under the influence of alcohol over the weekend.

“These drunk drivers are not only a danger to themselves but also a danger to society as some carry passengers, and some cause accidents affecting other road users,” said provincial police commissioner Lt Gen Elias Mawela.

One of the arrested suspects was found driving with more than 13 passengers, including children, in a minibus taxi, his office said.

October 19 2020 - 07:31

'Lockdown' crowned SA word of the year - 'It's been mentioned more than 480,000 times since March'

"Lockdown" was crowned the SA Word of the Year on Friday after being used nearly 500,000 times in six months.

The term beat "Jerusalema", "corruption", "normalise", "self-isolation" and "Covid-19" for the award from the Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB) and media research company Focal Points. 

PanSALB chief executive Willie Manana said the prominence of these words were tracked from October 2019 to September 2020.

October 19 2020 - 07:28

Cape Town cancels annual festive lights switch-on due to Covid-19

The City of Cape Town has cancelled its annual festive lights switch-on event for 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the city, the event draws a crowd of about 100,000 people annually and sets the tone for Cape Town’s festive season.

“In light of the Covid-19 pandemic and the extension of the National Disaster Management Act restrictions on the number of people allowed at public gatherings, it was important to pause the event for the safety of all those who would be involved in the concert,” the city said in a statement.

October 19 2020 - 07:20

SA's virus deaths gradually approaching 20,000 mark