COVID-19 WRAP | SA records 770 new Covid-19 cases & India's coronavirus tally rises to 8.2 million
November 2 2020 - 22:05
SA records 770 new Covid-19 cases in 24 hours, with 54 deaths
SA's Covid-19 recovery rate continued to stand at 90% on Monday, as the country recorded 772 new cases of the respiratory illness in the past 24 hours.
In a statement on Monday evening, health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize said the new cases took the country to 727,595 total infections to date.
November 2 2020 - 20:26
Finding Covid-19 treatments is key as world pins hope on a vaccine
While Africa and the world wait anxiously for a vaccine against Covid-19, a global medical coalition is pushing ahead treatments to cure the disease.
The Anticov trial, developed by a non-profit research organisation called the Drugs For Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), plans to test therapeutic regimes in 3,000 patients spread across 13 countries in Africa, said Dr Borna Nyaoke-Anoke, its senior clinical project manager in Kenya.
“We must identify early treatments that can prevent progression to severe disease,” said Nyaoke-Anoke.
November 2 2020 - 17:28
UKZN on high alert after 19 students test positive for Covid-19
Nineteen students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) are in isolation at a government facility after testing positive for Covid-19 on Friday.
University spokesperson Normah Zondo said it was distressing to announce that the students at Siphiwe Zuma residence at the Howard College campus had tested positive. Contact tracing is now under way.
“Tests were conducted with 200 students at this residence. The affected students have been sent to the department of health facilities for isolation.
November 2 2020 - 14:49
Iran reports record high Covid death toll as travel bans go into force
Iran on Monday reported a record 440 Covid deaths in the past 24 hours, pushing the death toll in the Middle East's worst-hit country to 35,738 as a ban on travel in and out of major cities came into force.
The government has shut schools, mosques, shops and restaurants in most of the country since early October and on Monday imposed a four-day ban on travel in and out of 25 cities, including Tehran, state TV reported.
Iranian state media said that the government will make a decision on a complete, two-week lockdown in the capital. It did not elaborate.
—Reuters
November 2 2020 - 14:06
Britain's Prince William caught Covid-19 in April
Britain's Prince William contracted Covid-19 in April at a similar time to his father, the heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles, a source close to his Kensington Palace office said.
William, 38, grandson of Queen Elizabeth and second-in-line to the British throne, kept his diagnosis a secret because he did not want to alarm the country, said The Sun newspaper, which first reported the news.
"There were important things going on and I didn't want to worry anyone," William was quoted by the newspaper as having told an observer at an engagement.
—Reuters
November 2 2020 - 13:37
Major banks tell London staff to return home ahead of England lockdown
Major banks in London have started directing all but essential workers to revert to home working, following the government's plans for a month-long lockdown in England from Thursday.
The switch will be a further blow to the City of London and Canary Wharf financial districts, whose skyscrapers have sat largely empty for most of the year with footfall at local businesses a fraction of normal levels.
Several investment banks had been encouraging more staff to work in their offices in recent months since the first lockdown in March, but the latest measures by the government have forced them into a reversal of policy.
—Reuters
November 2 2020 - 13:30
French supermarkets to face same lockdown limits as small shops - minister
French supermarkets will face the same limits on selling non-essential goods as small shops but shopowners are not allowed to challenge government's new Covid lockdown rules, the finance minister said.
Small shopowners have complained bitterly about being forced to close while supermarkets can sell "non-essential goods" such as shoes, clothes, beauty products and flowers because they also sell food.
Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Sunday supermarkets will have to stop selling non-essential goods, but shopkeepers - who have stocked up for Christmas and want to recover from the spring lockdown - want to remain open and mayors in several cities across France have backed them.
—Reuters
November 2 2020 - 11:42
Gauteng gives matric finals the green light
The Gauteng department of education said it was ready for the 235,975 candidates who will sit for their final national senior certificate (NSC) examinations that start on Thursday.
The province with the largest number of candidates said it was all systems go for the Grade 12 examinations.
MEC Panyaza Lesufi said this year’s exams will combine three categories of exams: the June, November and adult exams.
November 2 2020 - 11:26
Eastern Cape police offices closed after staff test positive for Covid-19
The Bethelsdorp police community service centre and Kabega Park detective services offices in Port Elizabeth have been temporarily closed due to police officials at the centres testing positive for Covid-19.
Police spokesperson Col Priscilla Naidu said the Bethelsdorp centre would temporarily operate from the West End community hall.
“There are no telephones at the hall and response assistance must be channelled through the 10111 centre,” Naidu said.
November 2 2020 - 11:18
French supermarkets to face same lockdown limits as small shops - minister
French supermarkets will face the same limits on selling non-essential goods as small shops but shopowners are not allowed to challenge government lockdown rules, the finance minister said.
Small shopowners have complained bitterly about being forced to close while supermarkets are allowed to sell "non-essential goods" such as shoes, clothes, beauty products and flowers because they also sell food.
Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Sunday supermarkets will have to stop selling non-essential goods, but shopkeepers - who have stocked up for Christmas and want to recover from the spring lockdown - want to remain open and mayors in several cities across France have backed them.
—Reuters
November 2 2020 - 8:21
Lockdown in England could be extended, UK minister warns
The one-month lockdown for England announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson this weekend could be extended as Britain struggles to contain a second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, a senior cabinet member said on Sunday.
After resisting the prospect of a new national lockdown for most of last month, Johnson announced on Saturday that new restrictions across England would kick in after midnight on Thursday morning and last until December 2.
The UK, which has the biggest official death toll in Europe from Covid-19, is grappling with more than 20,000 new coronavirus cases a day and scientists have warned a worst-case scenario of 80,000 dead could be exceeded this winter.
—Reuters
November 2 2020 - 8:20
India's coronavirus tally rises to 8.2 million
India recorded 45,231 new coronavirus infections, taking its total cases to 8.23 million, the health ministry said on Monday.
New daily cases in India have been falling since September, but experts warn that infections could rise again during the festival season.
The country has the world's second-highest caseload, behind the US, which has more than 9 million.
—Reuters