COVID-19 WRAP | SA just shy of 50,000 Covid-19 related deaths & 'As we ease restrictions, we can't let our guard down': Ramaphosa

February 28 2021 - 22:49

Level 1, yes, but third wave could crash down at any time, warns Ramaphosa

South Africans should not discount the possibility of a third wave of coronavirus infections.

Addressing the nation on Sunday, when he lifted most Covid-19 restrictions, President Cyril Ramaphosa said there was a possibility of another devastating wave of infections.

Though this is not imminent, as cases have declined significantly in recent weeks, complacency, especially in the wake of possible new Covid-19 variants, could lead to more trouble.

February 28 2021 - 21:59

SA just shy of 50,000 Covid-19 related deaths as 52 new fatalities recorded

SA recorded 1,168 new Covid-19 cases and 52 deaths in the past 24 hours, taking the country to the verge of a grim coronavirus milestone.

Health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize said on Sunday night that there were now 1,513,393 confirmed infections and 49,993 fatalities confirmed countrywide since the outbreak almost exactly a year ago.

The new infections came from 22,836 tests, at a positivity rate of 5.11%.

February 28 2021 - 21:37

IN FULL | Lockdown alert: SA moves to Covid-19 level 1

President Ramaphosa says SA has past the second wave peak, but urged vigilance as a third is ‘ever present’.

February 28 2021 - 21:13

'We will be secured': Ramaphosa says SA vaccination rollout plan is on track

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday night assured South Africans that his government would ensure there were sufficient vaccines for the country.

“We will be secure when it comes to vaccines,” said Ramaphosa.

He was addressing the nation on developments in the country’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. During the address he also announced that the country would move to level 1 of the coronavirus restrictions due to a significant decline in new infections in recent weeks.

February 28 2021 - 20:18

'Told you guys': Malema on his prediction that SA would move from level 3 to level 1 Covid-19 rules 

February 28 - 2021 - 20:16

'As we ease restrictions, we can not let our guard down': Ramaphosa

"Because the new variant is transmitted more easily, it has the potential of infecting more people and putting strain on the health system... it is now more important that we all download the Covid-19 App to be notified of Covid-19 exposure."

February 28 2021 - 20:12

SA to move from level 3 to level 1

"Cabinet after various levels of consultations, has decided to move the country from alert level 3 to alert level 1."

February 28 2021 - 20:09

'Country has clearly emerged from the second wave': Ramaphosa

President Cyril Ramaphosa said SA has emerged from the second wave of Covid-19 because most people adhered to the regulations. 

"The measures we put in December were necessary to save lives and to contain the spread of the virus... we know they cause a great deal of inconvenience to our people."

February 28 2021 - 20:03

Ramaphosa begins latest 'family meeting'

Shortly after 8pm on Sunday, President Cyril Ramaphosa began his latest address to the nation on the latest Covid-19 developments. It comes as the country has recorded 1,512,225 confirmed cases of the disease and 49,941 Covid-19 related fatalities.

A live stream is available here

February 28 2021 - 18:19

UK says more than 20 million people have received Covid-19 shot

More than 20 million people across the United Kingdom have now received a Covid-19 shot, Britain's health minister, Matt Hancock, said on Sunday.

February 28 2021 - 18:18

Czech PM backs using Sputnik vaccine without EU regulator's approval

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said on Sunday the country could use Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine even without approval by European Union's EMA drugs agency.

The country of 10.7 million has ranked among the world's worst-hit countries by the COVID pandemic in the past few weeks, as the situation has been exacerbated by the new variants of the virus.

Prague had inoculated 649,868 people as of Saturday evening, most of them using the vaccine from Pfizer/BioNTech. The country has also used vaccines made by Moderna and AstraZeneca.

February 28 2021 - 18:16

CDC advisory panel to vote Sunday on guidance for using J&J's Covid-19 shot

A US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory panel is expected on Sunday to recommend Johnson & Johnson's Covid-19 shot for widespread use, a final clearance for the vaccine after it was authorised by US regulators on Saturday.

The Advisory Committee on Immunisation Practices (ACIP) has played a major role in guiding states on how to allocate scarce doses, though states themselves have the final say in how they allocate shots.

For previous Covid vaccines, the CDC panel discussed clinical considerations for patients including pregnant women and people with severe allergies, who were not studied in clinical trials.

February 28 2021 - 16:08

Ramaphosa to address SA at 8pm Sunday

President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the nation at 8pm on Sunday night on the latest Covid-19 developments.

In a statement on Sunday afternoon, the presidency said that the address would be on “developments in the country’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic”.

“The address follows meetings in recent days of the national coronavirus command council (NCCC), the president’s co-ordinating council (PCC) and cabinet,” the statement said.

February 28 2021 - 14:42

'I can smell level 1': Julius Malema

February 28 2021 - 13:10

Mexico's president expected to ask Biden to share US vaccines-sources

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is expected to ask President Joe Biden to consider sharing part of the U.S. coronavirus vaccine supply with its poorer southern neighbor when the two leaders hold a virtual summit on Monday, U.S. and Mexican officials said.

Biden is open to discussing the matter as part of a broader regional effort to cooperate in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic but will maintain as his “number one priority” the need to first vaccinate as many Americans as possible, a White House official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

February 28 2021 - 09:56

Russia reports 11,359 new coronavirus cases, 379 deaths

 Russia reported 11,359 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, bringing the national tally to 4,246,079.

The coronavirus crisis centre said that 379 more deaths of coronavirus patients had been confirmed in the past 24 hours, which pushed the official Russian death toll to 86,122.

-REUTERS

February 28 2021 - 09:50

Tokyo reports 329 new coronavirus cases on Sunday - media

Tokyo reported 329 new coronavirus infections on Sunday, national broadcaster NHK said, for a slight decrease from the previous day's figure of 337.

Japan lifted a state of emergency in six prefectures a week earlier than scheduled, although the curbs stay until early March in Tokyo and three other prefectures.

-REUTERS

February 28 2021 - 07:00

Australia receives AstraZeneca vials as it ramps up vaccination drive

Australia received 300,000 doses of the AstraZeneca PLC vaccine on Sunday, more than doubling the amount of all vaccines shipped to the country so far and allowing the government to ramp up its COVID-19 immunisation drive.

Mass vaccinations for Australia's 25 million people began on Monday after the arrival of a first batch of more than 142,000 doses of the Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE vaccine.

"We will now be able to scale up the vaccination rollout to our priority groups, including our most vulnerable Australians and to our frontline border and health workers," Prime Minister Scott Morrison said in a statement.

-REUTERS