COVID-19 WRAP | SA records 2,140 new Covid-19 cases & SA 'opening up' level 1 restrictions: Ramaphosa

November 11 2020 - 11:30

SA records 2,140 new Covid-19 cases

November 11 2020 - 22:18

'End the disastrous state of disaster,' says DA's John Steenhuisen

DA leader John Steenhuisen has ridiculed President Cyril Ramaphosa's decision to extend the national state of disaster, and called for it to end.

Ramaphosa said that, at the time of his address, there were more than 742,000 confirmed cases across SA and more than 20,000 Covid-19 related fatalities.

“To ensure that we can keep all the necessary prevention measures in place, we are, as required by the Disaster Management Act, extending the national state of disaster by another month, to December 15, 2020,” he said.

November 11 2020 - 22:04

SA economy shifting from relief to recovery, says Ramaphosa

With the SA economy showing signs of stability, government will now shift its focus from relief measures to implementing a recovery plan, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Wednesday night.

“As the economy starts to recover, many of the measures in the relief package are steadily being wound down. We are trying, within our limited resources, to ensure this is a gradual transition. We recognise that some industries are still not able to operate fully and that it will take some time for many jobs to return.

“That is why we extended the special Covid-19 grant for a further three months, until January 2021. This will provide much-needed income to around six million people who are unemployed and do not receive any other form of government grant,” said the president.

November 11 2020 - 21:55

IN FULL | President Cyril Ramaphosa’s address at Wednesday’s ‘family meeting’

President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation on the country's response to Covid-19 on Wednesday night, touching on development of a new vaccine to be manufactured in SA, a “surge” of cases in the Eastern Cape and a warning about being safe during the festive season.

November 11 2020 - 20:35

Our behaviour will determine our future, says Ramaphosa

How South Africans behave "over the next few days and months" will determine the country's fortunes, President Cyril Ramaphosa said.

He said that responsible action "can and do save lives".

"Let us work together, like the great South African family that we are, to restore, to recover and to rebuild," he said as he closed off his address to the nation shortly before 8.40pm.

November 11 2020 - 20:30

SA opening up level 1 restrictions: Ramaphosa

President Cyril Ramaphosa said government was amending the country's level 1 lockdown laws to "enable all parts of the economy to return to full operation".

Addressing the nation on Wednesday night, Ramaphosa said that among the eased restrictions were the trading hours of alcohol outlets and opening up international travel to all countries "subject to the necessary health protocols and the presentation of a negative Covid-19 certificate".

November 11 2020 - 20:15

SA's national state of disaster extended by another month

The Disaster Management Act will be in place for at least another month.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Wednesday that the act had been extended until December 15.

November 11 2020 - 20:10

Ramaphosa: "Matter of time" before EC Covid-19 infections spread to other provinces

A spike in Covid-19 cases in the Eastern Cape - largely due to outbreaks in universities, schools and through the "attendance of people at large gatherings" - was worrying, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Wednesday night.

He said that the number of new Covid-19 cases in the province was 50% higher than the week before. The total number of new cases in the last 14 days was around 145% higher than the previous 14 days.

"This is a concern," he said.

Ramaphosa said it was a "matter of time" before infections spread because of the number of people who travel from the Eastern Cape to other provinces, particularly the Western Cape.

November 11 2020 - 20:00

Ramaphosa says virus has "declined significantly", but more than 20,000 have died

President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Wednesday that SA should be "proud" of its response to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has seen cases stabilising at, on average, fewer than 2,000 cases a day.

"This pandemic has taken a great toll on the health and well-being of our people. The greatest blow we have suffered... are the confirmed deaths of 20,011 people," said Ramaphosa.

So far, more than 742,000 coronavirus infections have been recorded.

November 11 2020 - 17:33

WATCH LIVE | Ramaphosa addresses SA on Covid-19 developments

President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the nation at 8pm on Wednesday night.

November 11 2020 - 15:38

KZN cops in court for extorting R3,000 from man during cigarette ban

A warrant officer and two police constables who accused a resident of selling cigarettes when this was banned under lockdown - and then allegedly forced him to part with R3,000 - have appeared in court for extortion.

Detectives from the provincial anti-corruption unit in KwaZulu-Natal arrested the trio - aged 50, 34 and 28 - on Monday. They appeared in the Verulam magistrate’s court on the same day.

“Their arrest came after the complainant alleged that on the night of June 12, the three police officers stationed at Phoenix arrived at his place of residence and accused him of selling cigarettes,” police spokesperson Capt Nqobile Gwala said on Wednesday.

November 11 2020 - 14:23

Nepal Covid-19 cases cross 200,000 amid fears of health catastrophe

Total coronavirus infections in Nepal crossed 200,000 on Wednesday, as health workers say the Himalayan nation was facing a "catastrophic" situation.

In the last 24 hours there were 2,569 new cases and 26 deaths, according to government data released on Wednesday. That takes the Himalayan nation to a total of 202,329 cases and 1,174 deaths overall.

Nearly half of all cases are reported in the capital Kathmandu and its surrounding areas, home to 4 million of the country's 30 million people.

A Reuters tally shows the number of daily infections in Nepal is higher than anywhere in South Asia, except its vastly larger neighbour India.

-REUTERS

November 11 2020 - 12:49

UK regulator says on COVID vaccine: We will not compromise on safety

Britain's drugs regulator said on Wednesday that it would not compromise on safety when it comes to deciding whether or not to approve a COVID-19 vaccine.

Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency CEO June Raine said that safety was her watchword.

Professor Wei Shen Lim, chair of COVID-19 immunisation, said that top of the priority list for a vaccine would be carehome residents and workers, old people and then adults with an underlying health conditions. 

-REUTERS

November 11 2020 - 11:30

Russia says its Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine is 92% effective

Russia's Sputnik V vaccine is 92% effective at protecting people from COVID-19 according to interim trial results, the country's sovereign wealth fund said on Wednesday, as Moscow rushes to keep pace with Western drugmakers in the race for a shot.

The initial results are only the second to be published from a late-stage human trial in the global effort to produce vaccines that could halt a pandemic that has killed more than 1.2 million people and ravaged the world economy.

Russia registered its COVID-19 vaccine for public use in August, the first country to do so, though the approval came before the start of the large-scale trial in September.

-REUTERS

November 11 2020 - 09:38

How Covid-proofing the slums upended Kenya's business culture

Half a million reusable masks, 123 tonnes of soap and 1,750 hand-washing stations. These numbers are music to the ears of business consultant James Irungu Mwangi - telling the story of the efforts he led to protect Kenyan slum-dwellers from Covid-19.

They also show how socially minded businesses can thrive in times of crisis, said Mwangi, who for years has urged African firms to look beyond profit and tackle issues like poverty and climate change by working with governments and non-profits.

November 11 2020 - 09:33

Czech Republic reports 9,016 new coronavirus cases, 249 deaths

The Czech Republic reported 9,016 new coronavirus cases for Nov. 10, a drop of 3,072 from a week earlier, Health Ministry data showed on Wednesday.

The country of 10.7 million has recorded a total of 429,880 cases after showing one of Europe's highest infection rates for several weeks.

The ministry also reported 249 new deaths, including 109 on Tuesday and adding in revisions to previous days. Overall, 5,323 people have died after testing positive for COVID-19. 

-REUTERS

November 11 2020 - 08:40

Ukraine sees imposing weekend lockdown - PM

Ukraine's government is going to strengthen measures to prevent the fast spread of coronavirus infection by introducing a lockdown at weekends, Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said late on Tuesday.

He said the decision could be approved in a government meeting on Wednesday."

After consulting with business and experts, the government has chosen a model of quarantine measures that will ensure the functioning of the economy and prevent overloading of the medical system," the government said in a statement.

The daily tally of coronavirus spiked in late September and remained consistently high throughout October and November, prompting the government to extend some lockdown measures until the end of this year.

Ukraine registered a total of 489,808 coronavirus cases as of Nov. 11 with 8,947 deaths and 221,459 recoveries.

-REUTERS

November 11 2020 - 07:36

Two Gauteng matriculants tested positive for Covid-19

Two Gauteng matric candidates have tested positive for Covid-19 since the final exams started last Thursday.

This was announced by education MEC Panyaza Lesufi on Tuesday when provincial members of the executive council gave an update on the implementation of the Growing Gauteng Together 2030 (GGT2030) plan of action.

Lesufi said the two pupils from Gauteng North and Ekurhuleni were allowed to write their examinations under controlled conditions managed by the department of health and education officials.

November 11 2020 - 07:35

U.S. reports more than 100,000 COVID-19 cases for 7th day in a row

The United States reported a record number of new COVID-19 cases for the seventh day in a row on Tuesday, according to a Reuters tally, while the number of deaths surged to their highest daily count since August.

With case numbers still being filed by a handful of states, the U.S. had reported at least 134,000 new infections by late Tuesday. It has reported an average of 120,000 cases every day for the past week.

The daily death toll stood at 1,450, the first time it has risen above 1,400 since mid-August.

Hospitalizations of infected people also continued to climb rapidly, reaching 61,471 by late Tuesday, the highest ever during the pandemic.

-REUTERS

November 11 2020 - 06:00

WATCH | Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine looks positive, but many questions remain

Pfizer has announced that initial data shows its Covid-19 trial vaccine is more than 90% effective. The vaccination consists of two injections 21 days apart and these types of vaccines are considered safe and easy to produce.

While this is great news, there are some grey areas.