COVID-19 LIVE UPDATES | 'To refuse Covid-19 vaccines is to court death': Antigua and Barbuda PM, Gaston Browne

May 26 2021 - 19:18

Belgium halts J&J Covid-19 vaccine for under 41s after first EU death

Belgium said on Wednesday it was suspending vaccinations with Johnson & Johnson's Janssen Covid-19 vaccine for people under the age of 41 following the first death in Europe from severe side-effects associated with the shot.

"The Inter-ministerial conference has decided to temporarily administer Janssen's vaccine to the general population from the age of 41 years, pending a more detailed benefit-risk analysis by the EMA (European Medicines Agency)," Belgium's health minister and seven regional counterparts said in a statement.

May 26 2021 - 14:46

Matric pupil dies from Covid-19 complications as school infections rise

An increase in Covid-19 infections at schools in the Free State has claimed the life of an 18-year-old pupil in Welkom.

Provincial education department spokesperson Howard Ndaba said the matric pupil was one of 11 confirmed Covid-19 cases at Lephola Secondary School in Thabong. Other pupils were still awaiting their test results.

The teen tested positive on Wednesday last week after experiencing flu-like symptoms. He died just after midday on Tuesday.

May 26 2021 - 14:27

New bill seeks to limit Dlamini-Zuma’s power on the state of disaster

Co-operative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma’s powers to extend the state of disaster could be cut should a new bill being discussed in parliament be passed into law.

Freedom Front Plus (FF+) leader Pieter Groenewald sponsored a private members bill which was on Wednesday adopted by the Cogta portfolio committee.

The bill seeks to curtail Dlamini-Zuma’s power to extend the state of disaster and give the power to the National Assembly. 

May 26 2021 13:10

WATCH | Hungani & Stephanie Ndlovu open up about contracting Covid-19

Undoubtedly one of Mzansi's favourite celeb couples, actors Hungani and Stephanie Ndlovu recently took to their YouTube channel, The Ndlovu’s Uncut, to reveal that they tested positive for Covid-19. 

In the candid video update, Hungani and Stephanie shared how they've been dealing with being Covid-positive.  

“On Saturday before Mother’s Day, the Friday, I went for a shoot and managed to shoot the whole day. And the Saturday I wake up with Dololo taste. It’s gone. Like I have no taste, I have zero smell.

May 26 2021 - 13:05

R150m contract awarded to Digital Vibes contravened the Public Finance Management Act: Zweli Mkhize

Health minister Zweli Mkhize says an investigation into the R150m contract awarded to Digital Vibes has found the tender process followed contravened the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA).

“The process of appointing Digital Vibes was irregular. The irregularity findings range from inconsistencies in the bid committees to lack of disclosure of conflict of interest,” said Mkhize on Wednesday.

In February, Daily Maverick reported that Digital Vibes had been appointed in 2019 through a closed tender to provide communication services for the government’s National Health Insurance (NHI) rollout, with the scope of the work extended in March 2020 to include communications services for Covid-19.

May 26 2021 - 12:48

The KwaZulu-Natal health department has shut down a fake message claiming walk-ins are welcome at several Covid-19 vaccination sites in Durban.

The message has been circulating on social media and claims citizens over the age of 60 who have registered for the Covid-19 vaccine can visit any vaccination site to receive their jab. 

“From this week, if you are 60 years and older, once you have registered you can walk in to any of these venues: Moses Mabhida Stadium, Pinetown Civic Centre, Stonebridge Hall in Phoenix, Clairwood Hospital and Prince Mshiyeni Hospital to receive your vaccine as the system has not yet started allocating appointments,” the message reads. 

May 25 2021 - 07:00

'To refuse Covid-19 vaccines is to court death': Antigua and Barbuda PM, Gaston Browne