COVID-19 WRAP | SA records 1,690 new confirmed cases of Covid-19

February 20 2021 - 22:00

SA records 1,690 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 

SA recorded 1,690 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours on Saturday evening, bringing the total cumulative cases to 1,502,367. 

Dr Zweli Mkhize said the country recorded 81 Covid-19 related deaths, the total death toll now stands at 48,940.

The number of health care workers vaccinated since the start of the vaccine rollout is 10,414. 

February 20 2021 - 12:49

Italian doctors remember night that ushered in Europe's first Covid-19 lockdown

A year ago, Laura Ricevuti and Annalisa Malara, both doctors at Codogno hospital in Italy, had a hunch that something was different about a patient in the intensive care ward.

Their decision to take matters into their own hands wound up triggering a national emergency — they had identified the first case of Covid-19 in the area that would become Europe's first lockdown zone.

February 20 2021 - 09:49

UK insurers estimate to pay up to 2.5bn pounds for coronavirus

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) said on Saturday insurers are likely to pay up to 2.5bn pounds ($3.50bn) for Covid-19 insurance claims incurred in 2020.

The latest estimates include 2bn pounds for Covid-19 business interruption claims and 500m pounds for Covid-19 related protection insurance claims, travel insurance claims and other general insurance products.

February 20 2021 - 09:42

Taiwan grants emergency authorisation for AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine

Taiwan's government on Saturday granted emergency use authorisation for AstraZeneca PLC's Covid-19 vaccine, with shots expected to be administered as soon as within seven days of arrival.

In December, Taiwan said it had agreed to buy almost 20 million vaccine doses, including 10 million from AstraZeneca and 4.76 million doses from the COVAX global vaccine programme. 

February 20 2021 - 09:24

Argentina health minister resigns after reports of VIP vaccine access

Argentina's health minister resigned on Friday after reports that people had been able to use connections to get access to Covid-19 vaccines to which they were not entitled.

Gines Gonzalez Garcia said in a letter posted on Twitter that individuals were able to sidestep proper procedure for vaccinations due to “unintended confusion” in his office while he was away.

February 20 2021 - 09:19

eSwatini king says had Covid-19, recovered after Taiwan sent drugs

eSwatini's King Mswati III said he had recovered from Covid-19 after Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen sent antiviral medication to help him.

The small southern African country, an absolute monarchy formerly known as Swaziland, is Taiwan's only remaining diplomatic ally on the continent, and Taipei has provided large amounts of economic and other aid.

February 20 2021 - 08:57

Russia approves its third Covid-19 vaccine - PM

Russia on Saturday approved a third coronavirus vaccine for domestic use, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said on state TV.

The first 120,000 doses, labelled CoviVac and produced by the Chumakov Centre in St. Petersburg, will be released for domestic use in March, he added.

Reuters

February 20 2021 - 08:57

Russian Sputnik V vaccine will reach Mexico on Monday -Mexican official

A first shipment of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19 will reach Mexico on Monday night, Mexico's deputy health minister, Hugo Lopez Gatell, told a news conference on Friday. 

Reuters

February 20 2021 - 08:57

US administers 59.6m doses of Covid-19 vaccines  

The United States has administered 59,585,043 doses of Covid-19 vaccines as of Friday morning and delivered 78,152,495 doses, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

The tally of vaccine doses are for both Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech, vaccines as of 6:00 a.m. ET on Friday, the agency said.

According to the tally posted on February 18, the agency had administered 57,737,767 doses of the vaccines, and distributed 73,377,450 doses.

The agency said 41,977,401 people had received one or more doses while 17,039,118 people have got the second dose as of Friday.

A total of 6,289,188 vaccine doses have been administered in long-term care facilities, the agency said. 

Reuters