COVID-19 WRAP | SA hits new Covid-19 infection record

January 08 2021 - 21:56

SA hits new Covid-19 infection record with 21,980 new cases in 24 hours

SA recorded its worst day for Covid-19 infections, with 21,980 cases confirmed in the past 24 hours.

It was also a grim day in terms of fatalities, with 616 deaths — the second highest to date —  recorded since the release of Thursday's figures.

The previous high of 844 deaths announced on January 6 included 452 from the Western Cape, which the health ministry said was “a result of data reconciliation dating between May and November 2020". There was no such caveat in the announcement of Friday's death data.

January 08 2021 - 20:32

Fighting Covid-19 is the ANC's top priority in 2021: Ramaphosa

Topping the list of the ANC’s priorities for 2021 is overcoming the Covid-19 pandemic, party president Cyril Ramaphosa said on Thursday.

“The virus is ever-present and it threatens the health and wellbeing of everyone in our country. It threatens livelihoods and undermines our efforts to rebuild the economy and create jobs,” said Ramaphosa, who was addressing ANC members virtually during the party’s 109th anniversary celebration.

The traditionally massive annual event was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with the country currently battling a second wave and soaring numbers of infections and deaths.

January 08 2021 - 19:38

Beitbridge chaos subsides as thousands of Zim residents re-enter SA

The brown-veined white butterfly migration across the country coincides with the annual migration of cross-border immigrants into SA.

At Beitbridge, in Limpopo, the floating white wings intermingle with thousands of people coming back into the country from neighbouring Zimbabwe. But this year is unlike any other.

The people are still returning, and with them also the deadly coronavirus — which is making a big comeback after the holidays.

January 08 2021 - 16:41

Richards Bay cemetery staff battling to cope with soaring number of burials

Close to 50 burials took place within the last week of December at two cemeteries in northern KwaZulu-Natal as the city of uMhlathuze has experienced an abnormal rise in the number of funerals owing to Covid-19 related deaths.

In a statement on Friday the uMhlathuze local municipality said operational challenges had emerged due to the high number of funerals each day.

“The burial space is not only sharply diminishing but operational challenges are emerging due to a number of funerals per day. The last week of December 2020 saw the city having to accommodate 44 burials in two graveyards in Richards Bay and eSikhaleni cemeteries.” 

January 08 2021 - 16:20

Isolate for four days, Limpopo health MEC tells people who used Beitbridge border

SA is advising travellers who came into the country via the Beitbridge border post in the past four days to self-quarantine.

Limpopo health MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba said people should “do the right thing”.

“Considering the incubation period of the coronavirus, we wish to implore those who will be crossing from Beitbridge to do the right thing and self-quarantine because they have been exposed to a potential superspreader,” she said.

January 08 2021 - 15:10

EU paves way for more Pfizer vaccine shots after extra dose allowed

Europe's medicines regulator gave the go ahead on Friday for an extra sixth dose to be extracted from the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine vials, lifting the number of available shots at a time when supplies are short.

EU countries started inoculating people with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine two weeks ago, after the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommended the shot's conditional approval under an authorisation which allows five doses to be extracted from each vial.

—Reuters

January 08 2021 - 13:43

AfriForum, Solidarity to challenge 'state monopoly' on Covid vaccine

AfriForum and Solidarity have instructed their legal teams to prepare a case challenging the government’s proposed monopoly on the buying and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines.

The two organisations said on Friday they want to ensure those who seek to get the vaccine are not obstructed from doing so.

“AfriForum’s stance is that government cannot have a monopoly on deciding who receives the vaccine and who does not,” said Ernst van Zyl, an official at the organisation.

January 08 2021 - 13:40

South Africans caught in anxious web of 'doomscrolling' as the Covid-19 body count continues

The reality of the number of Covid-19 deaths in SA is difficult to ignore, especially if you are a social media user.

Once a place of memes, gym check-ins and lunch photos, social media is now an online condolence message board as the number of Covid-19 deaths increase daily.

Durban-based counselling psychologist Rakhi Beekrum said social media was merely a reflection of current times.

January 08 2021 - 11:45

UK minister says some vaccines might not work against SA variant

British transport secretary Grant Shapps said on Friday there were concerns that some Covid-19 vaccines might not work properly against the highly transmissible variant of the coronavirus discovered in SA.

The world's leading Covid-19 vaccine makers are rushing to see if their shots work against new mutations of the novel coronavirus found in SA and the UK.

Pfizer Inc and BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine appeared to work against a key mutation in the highly transmissible new variants of the coronavirus discovered in the UK and SA, according to a laboratory study conducted by the US drug maker.

January 08 2021 - 10:27

Covering Covid-19 victims’ bodies in plastic is ‘disrespectful’: traditional experts

Experts in traditional African culture have expressed concern about plastic being used to cover the bodies of Covid-19 victims, saying it disrespects the deceased.

However, chemical pathologist Dr Kas Kasonga warned this week that removing the plastic could pose a health threat because the coronavirus was known to survive on surfaces surrounding the infected person.

January 08 2021 - 10:18

Funerals declared Covid-19 superspreader events in Limpopo

Funerals in Limpopo, which are increasing, have been identified as superspreaders of Covid-19, the provincial health department said on Friday. 

This as the province recorded an all-time high of 1,644 new cases in the past 24-hour cycle.

Health MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba expressed concern at the rocketing numbers. At the start of last month, the province was recording an average of just 20 cases a day, she said. 

January 08 2021 - 09:33

Booze worth R125k seized from North West man during lockdown ban

A man allegedly selling liquor from his property has been fined under the National Disaster Act.

Klerksdorp police said the 49-year-old man was found with different types of liquor at his residence in Meiringspark on Thursday afternoon.

Police spokesperson Amogelang Malwetse said: “The police acted swiftly following a tip-off about lots of liquor being sold and stored in the backyard of a business operating for a different purpose.”

January 08 2021 - 08:48

SA's two biggest pharmacies plan to offer Covid-19 vaccines

South Africa's two biggest pharmacy chains Clicks Group and Dis-Chem Pharmacies said they plan to offer Covid-19 shots at their stores and provide storage and distribution facilities in the vaccine rollout programme once the government provides more details.

Health minister Zweli Mkhize on Sunday called on the private sector, including pharmacies, to help with the rollout, but the government is yet to outline how exactly they will help.

January 08 2021 - 07:15

Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine appears effective against mutation in new coronavirus variants -study

Pfizer Inc and BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine appeared to work against a key mutation in the highly transmissible new variants of the coronavirus discovered in the UK and South Africa, according to a laboratory study conducted by the U.S. drugmaker.

The not-yet peer reviewed study by Pfizer and scientists from the University of Texas Medical Branch indicated the vaccine was effective in neutralizing virus with the so-called N501Y mutation of the spike protein.

The mutation could be responsible for greater transmissibility and there had been concern it could also make the virus escape antibody neutralization elicited by the vaccine, said Phil Dormitzer, one of Pfizer's top viral vaccine scientists.

-REUTERS

January 08 2021 - 07:00

Follow Covid rules, pleads government as most industries get back to work

The employment and labour department has urged all businesses to prioritise the health and safety of employees and to take all necessary steps to ensure they are not exposed to Covid-19.

This as most industries and businesses are due back to the daily workplace routine on Monday after the festive break.

“It is crucial that industries, businesses and entities, both private and public, take all the necessary care to ensure the safety of workers, their families and their clients/suppliers.

January 08 2021 - 06:00

We’d rather walk, say Limpopo commuters as alarming rise in Covid-19 cases hit Polokwane taxi ranks

The Polokwane taxi rank in Limpopo has seen an alarming rise in Covid-19 related deaths and positive cases, with four taxi owners succumbing to the virus and eight drivers testing positive in the past week alone.

The city’s taxi tycoon, Charles Ramogale, was the latest coronavirus victim to be buried on Monday, with owners Madiseng Langa and Lebogang Machaka having been buried at the weekend. Another taxi boss, David Makweya, was buried on Thursday.