COVID-19 WRAP | SA Covid-19 death toll stands at 50,462, a year after first case was recorded

March 04 2021 - 22:27

After exactly one year of Covid-19, SA sees 1,404 new cases and 96 deaths in a day

In exactly a year since the first Covid-19 case was confirmed in SA on March 5, 2020, there have been 1,517,666 confirmed cases and 50,462 deaths countrywide.

Health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize confirmed the figures on Thursday night.

This was an increase of 1,404 cases and 96 deaths in the past 24 hours. The new infections come from 30,799 tests — at a positivity rate of 4.45%.

March 04 2021 - 22:10

When and how bad Covid-19 third wave will be depends on how people behave, says Zweli Mkhize

Society’s behaviour will determine when the country will experience the third Covid-19 wave.

Speaking on Thursday, health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize said there was no clear model predicting exactly when SA might see a third wave of Covid-19 infections, but the “suspicion” was that this could be in late April or early May.

March 04 2021 - 21:27

Covid-19 named as SA's newsmaker of the year for 2020

Covid-19 has been named as the newsmaker of the year for 2020.

The National Press Club chairperson Val Boje made the announcement on Thursday night.

“No story dominated the news as much as Covid-19 did. From the day that the minister announced the first case, to the president addressing the nation about the lockdown and what we now call 'family meetings'," Boje said.

March 04 2021 - 19:54

Military union demands army health workers be added to vaccination programme

The South African National Defence Union (Sandu) has asked for drastic action to be taken against those who failed to ensure military health workers were included in the current rollout of the Sisonke vaccination programme.

In a statement, the union alleged that the SA Military Health Services (SAMHS) had failed to register military health workers with the Sisonke programme, which is managed by the national health department.

March 04 2021 - 19:34

SA regulator says Pfizer vaccine review is at an advanced stage

SA's medicines regulator said on Thursday that it was at an advanced stage of reviewing an emergency-use application for Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine.

“Pfizer has engaged with SAHPRA via two regulatory pathways, that is registration for full commercial market access and Section 21 authorisation. The Section 21 application is in advanced stages of review,” Yuven Gounden, spokesperson for the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA), told Reuters.

A Section 21 application, normally valid for six months, is an instrument for emergency use access of a health product that is unregistered. AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine was granted Section 21 approval by SAHPRA in January.

March 04 2021 - 19:24

In France, 60% of new Covid-19 cases linked to UK variant - PM

More than 60% of all new coronavirus infections registered in France are linked to the variant first detected in Britain, French Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Thursday.

"The circulation of the virus has accelerated over the past two weeks and that is clearly linked to the UK variant," Castex said at a weekly COVID-19 news conference.

While the virus is not rising exponentially, the health system remains under massive pressure, he added.

-REUTERS

March 04 2021 - 16:10

Past 12 months have felt like 12 years, says Abdool Karim as he heads for jab

On Thursday, the final day of the country’s first year of the coronavirus pandemic, Professor Salim Abdool Karim headed to Durban’s St Augustine’s Hospital for his vaccine, the very facility he was called to to tackle SA’s first case.

Reflecting on this journey, in person and during a webinar at the Centre for the Aids Programme of Research in South Africa (Caprisa) in KZN, which he heads, the scientist said: “I have learnt more this year than in all my 35 years of learning about viruses. It has challenged us in every way.”

March 04 2021 - 15:07

Most African countries to begin vaccination drives by end of March — WHO

Most African countries will kick-start their Covid-19 vaccination programmes by the end of March as efforts to procure doses for the continent's 1.3 billion people gather pace, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Thursday.

The continent faces logistical and financial obstacles to securing all the vaccines it needs, but the WHO-led Covax facility has begun to bear fruit.

"This week Africa has been at the forefront of Covax facility deliveries, finally, with almost 10 million vaccine doses being delivered to 11 countries as of this morning," WHO Africa's Matshidiso Moeti told a virtual news conference.

March 04 2021 - 13:28

WHO: bilateral Covid-19 vaccine deals not good for Covax

Countries should not agree bilateral deals that undermine the international Covax Covid-19 vaccine procurement facility, but they also have a responsibility to vaccinate frontline workers swiftly, WHO Europe Director Hans Kluge said on Thursday.

Recent days have seen some European countries looking at securing jabs from Russia or China that do not yet have the European Union's authorisation and sidelining an EU joint procurement approach.

The WHO-backed Covax scheme, destined for emerging countries, is "the only global mechanism to equalise access to vaccines", Kluge told reporters.

Reuters

March 04 2021 - 11:45

Ramaphosa pays tribute to traditional leaders for role in curbing pandemic

President Cyril Ramaphosa has praised traditional leaders for the manner in which they handled the customary initiation process during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“You were creative, you came forward with ideas, which proved once again that working together is the best way of tackling the problems that beset our country. I was pleased that we were able to find each other ... around a very difficult and trying issue, such as initiation,” said Ramaphosa.

Speaking during the opening of the National House of Traditional Leaders in parliament on Thursday, Ramaphosa said the initiation process was one testing area for the government but traditional leaders ensured that there was adherence to the regulations.

March 04 2021 - 11:35

Home affairs resumes more services under level 1: Four key takeouts from Aaron Motsoaledi briefing

The department of home affairs will on Thursday resume some of its services which were suspended under alert level 3 lockdown due to concerns about spreading Covid-19.

Minister Aaron Motsoaledi addressed a media briefing in Pretoria on Wednesday.

This comes after president Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Sunday that the country would move to level 1.

March 04 2021 - 10:39

Third Covid-19 wave? Here's how the Western Cape is preparing to save lives and limit the impact

The Western Cape government has announced plans put in place in anticipation of a third Covid-19 wave, to save lives and limit the impact of the virus on the livelihoods of residents.

On Wednesday, the province's premier Alan Winde said planning was already being done so the province does not face the same impact as in the first and second waves.

In his recent “family meeting”, President Cyril Ramaphosa warned that the threat of a third wave of Covid-19 remained because of the emergence of new variants.

March 04 2021 - 09:55

Veteran media personality Karima Brown has died of Covid-19

Veteran media personality Karima Brown has died, her employer eNCA confirmed on Thursday morning. 

The television host and political commentator had been hospitalised for several weeks where she had been battling with Covid-19 related complications.

News of Brown’s passing flooded social media, where previously scores of people, including former public protector Thuli Madonsela, had been wishing her a speedy recovery.

March 04 2021 - 09:34

UK regulator says will fast-track vaccines for coronavirus variants

Britain's medical regulator on Thursday said it would fast-track vaccines for coronavirus variants, adding that the makers of already-authorised shots would not need new lengthy clinical trials to prove their adapted vaccines will work.

There is concern that some variants, such as those first found in SA and Brazil, may reduce the efficacy of the first generation of Covid-19 vaccines, and manufacturers are looking to adapt their shots.

The accelerated process is based on that used for seasonal flu vaccines each year, the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said, and would be based on robust evidence that the shots create an immune response, rather than full clinical trials.

March 04 2021 - 08:15

Biden says 'big mistake' for states to lift mask mandates given virus toll

US President Joe Biden on Wednesday said decisions to end the required wearing of masks — such as those by governors of Texas and Mississippi — amounted to “Neanderthal thinking” given the rising death toll from the coronavirus pandemic.

Asked if he had a message to Texas and Mississippi, Biden told reporters: “I think it's a big mistake. Look, I hope everybody's realised by now, these masks make a difference.”

Biden said the increasing availability of vaccinations was making a difference in containing the pandemic, but it was critical to remain vigilant about wearing masks, washing hands and social distancing.

March 04 2021 - 08:10

English Covid-19 prevalence dropping at slower rate, study finds

The prevalence of Covid-19 infections in England has dropped since January, but the rate of decline has slowed and cases might be on the rise in some areas, researchers at Imperial College London said on Thursday.

The researchers said that national prevalence was 0.49%, down two-thirds from the 1.57% recorded in January, but added that compared to interim findings for February, estimated prevalence had risen in London and the South-East, as well as the East and West Midlands.

“The prevalence ... in England continues to fall although the rate of decline has slowed,” Steven Riley, Professor of Infectious Disease Dynamics, Imperial College London, told reporters, adding that prevalence needed to be lower to give the vaccine rollout the best chance of success.

March 04 2021 - 07:42

US administers 80.5m doses of Covid-19 vaccines - CDC

The United States has administered 80,540,474 doses of Covid-19 vaccines as of Wednesday morning and delivered 107,028,890 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 Wednesday, the agency said.

According to the tally posted on March 2, the agency had administered 78,631,601 doses of the vaccines and distributed 102,353,940 doses.

The agency said 52,855,579 people had received one or more doses, while 26,957,804 people have got the second dose as of Wednesday.

A total of 7,218,655 vaccine doses have been administered in long-term care facilities, the agency said.

Reuters

March 04 2021 - 07:30

March 04 2021 - 07:20

Efficacy data for India's own Covid-19 vaccine could boost public acceptance

Indian doctors and politicians on Thursday welcomed efficacy data for a state-backed coronavirus vaccine that was given emergency approval in January without the completion of a late-stage trial, making people reluctant to receive the shot.

Government data shows in that only 10% of about 12.6 million people immunised in India have taken the COVAXIN shot, which was found to be 81% effective in an interim analysis of the late-stage trial, its developer Bharat Biotech said on Wednesday.

Any boost to the vaccine's acceptance in India, which on Thursday reported a new Covid-19 cases at their highest in five weeks, could also brighten its export prospects. Bharat Biotech said 40 countries were interested in COVAXIN.

Reuters

March 04 2021 - 07:17

Lesotho receives first batch of vaccines

After a year of disruptions due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with more than 10,000 Basotho infected with the virus and almost 300 lives lost, the path to recovery for Lesotho can now begin with the arrival of a vaccine for Covid-19.

The deliveries mark the beginning of what will be the largest, most complex global rollout of vaccines in history. The COVAX Facility plans to deliver at least 2 billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines by the end of this year. This is an unprecedented global effort to make sure all citizens have access to vaccines.

“This is a momentous occasion,” said Dr Richard Banda, WHO Representative for Lesotho. “Covid-19 has taken a toll on countries around the world and Lesotho is no exception. We know this is the first step and we congratulate the government of Lesotho, especially the ministry of health for its tireless efforts to protect Basotho and contain the spread of the virus.”

March 04 2021 - 07:00