COVID-19 LIVE UPDATES | Should COVID cancel Christmas? UK says it is a personal decision
December 16 2020 - 16:18
Al Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane tests positive for Covid-19
Egyptian giant Al Ahly have confirmed that head coach Pitso Mosimane has tested positive for Covid-19.
"Al Ahly's head coach Pitso Mosimane tested positive for COVID-19‚" the club said on Wednesday.
"Mosimane will follow the Ministry of Health’s protocol for COVID-19 and will be self-isolated at home."
December 16 2020 - 16:17
Khanyi Mbau believes lockdown curfew has us living life again!
Socialite and media personality Khanyi Mbau believes that the lockdown, which was implemented to curb the spread of Covid-19, has brought people back to truly living life to the fullest.
With SA in its ninth month of lockdown and the year approaching its end, reflections are aplenty. One who is no stranger to sharing her thoughts is Khanyi.
The Mbau Reloaded star tweeted her opinions on the lockdown rules and regulations. Khanyi believes that a midnight to 4am curfew has brought us back to a time when family time and good sleep are valued.
December 16 2020 - 15:09
Payment re-runs under way for outstanding Covid-19 TERS benefit payments
Workers who did not receive their Covid-19 TERS benefit payment from the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) have been assured that payment re-runs for outstanding claims were under way for the period of April to September 15.
The fund has also started processing and paying claims to foreign nationals who were verified via the department of home affairs and the SA Revenue Service (Sars), the UIF said in a statement on Wednesday.
The payments come on the back of R55.6bn already paid to millions of workers since the lockdown started in March. The figures include just over R2bn paid to 491,410 foreign nationals from 95,834 applications by employers.
December 16 2020 - 14:18
Why beaches were closed for holidays in Eastern Cape and not KwaZulu-Natal
Buffalo City mayor Xola Pakati is not 100% sure why the metro has not been declared a Covid-19 hotspot, but he suspects it has to do with fatality numbers being lower than in Eastern Cape districts where severe restrictions have been put in place.
He has also shed light on why a blanket beach ban has been imposed on Eastern Cape beaches, whereas in KwaZulu-Natal only popular beachgoing days like Christmas Day and New Year’s Day have been outlawed.
Quite simply, there is not enough staff in the Eastern Cape to police the province’s beaches.
December 16 2020 - 14:17
Australia reports first local Covid-19 case in two weeks after airport worker tests positive
Australia's most populous state on Wednesday reported its first coronavirus case in nearly two weeks after an airport worker tested positive prompting authorities to suggest international flight crews should also quarantine after arriving.
A 45-year old man who shuttles international airlines staff to the airport tested positive for Covid-19, New South Wales (NSW) state Health Minister Brad Hazzard told reporters.
Hazzard said the government will talk to international airlines in the next 48 hours to suggest changes to existing quarantine rules for air crew.
December 16 2020 - 14:14
DR Congo to impose curfew against second wave of coronavirus
The Democratic Republic of Congo will impose a curfew and other strict measures, including the mandatory wearing of masks in public spaces, to help quell a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, its virus response team said on Wednesday.
Congo has recorded just 14,942 cases of coronavirus and 364 deaths from the disease since the epidemic was officially declared in March.
But it has seen a steady increase in recent weeks, with 345 new cases declared on Wednesday, most in the capital Kinshasa.
December 16 2020 - 11:43
Joggers, walkers and pigeons out and about on Durban's beachfront
A handful of people wearing masks jogged and strolled along Durban's promenade on an overcast Wednesday morning under the watchful eye of law enforcement officers.
Durban's beaches were closed on Wednesday, after an announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday night.
Traditionally the beaches are packed to capacity on December 16, Day of Reconciliation, marking the official start of the summer season in the coastal city. On Tuesday, crowds of beachgoers enjoyed the cool waters.
December 16 2020 - 11:41
Covid-19 beach ban: holiday bookings cancelled, coastal towns reeling
Coastal towns identified as Covid-19 hotspots on the Garden Route and in the Eastern Cape are reeling as tourists cancel holiday bookings after the closure of popular beaches.
The impact of the beach ban is anticipated to run into hundreds of millions of rand due to the cancellation of accommodation bookings which could lead to more job losses and businesses closing.
December 16 2020 - 11:38
Tom Cruise rants at 'Mission: Impossible' crew in London over Covid safety
Tom Cruise let rip over an apparent breach of Covid-19 safety protocols on the London set of the new “Mission: Impossible” movie, telling crew members they would be fired if they don't obey the rules, Britain's Sun newspaper reported.
In expletive-filled remarks captured on audio tape obtained by The Sun, the star and producer of the action film yelled at the crew about lapses of social distancing and other rules that allow movies to be made during the coronavirus pandemic.
A source close to the production said the tape was authentic. Cruise's representative declined to comment.
December 16 2020 - 09:33
Should Covid-19 cancel Christmas? UK says it is a personal decision
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government thinks people should make their own personal decision about gathering for Christmas but they should also consider the Covid-19 risks to the vulnerable, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said.
The government came under pressure on Tuesday to revise its plan to relax Covid-19 restrictions for five days around Christmas, with two influential medical journals making a rare joint appeal for the policy to be scrapped.
Reuters