COVID-19 WRAP | SA records over 8,000 new Covid-19 cases over last 24-hour cycle

June 09 2021 - 20:57

SA records over 8,000 new Covid-19 cases over last 24-hour cycle

June 09 2021 - 19:04

Police Covid-19 deaths double in just six months, parliament hears

Police minister Bheki Cele told parliament on Wednesday that the country had lost 665 officers to Covid-19, while more than 30,000 tested positive for the virus.

This is double the number of police officers who had been reported to have died from Covid-19 in January this year, when the number stood at 330.

Cele revealed these figures at the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) while delivering his budget speech address.

June 09 2021 - 16:17

We'd be thrilled if HIV and TB got this much attention, says Sisonke trial leader

Prof Linda-Gail Bekker, co-lead investigator on the Sisonke trial, has cautioned that we drop the ball on HIV and tuberculosis at our peril as we battle Covid-19.

Speaking at the Cape Town Press Club on Wednesday, she said: “It is 40 years this week since HIV was first described in gay men on the west coast of America and we are still looking for a safe prophylactic against the virus. I have spent most of my adult career as a scientist looking for that vaccine.”

In contrast, she said, “We were able to hear about emergency-use approval for the first Covid vaccine about 11 months after the gene of SARS-CoV-2 was first published.”

June 09 2021 - 11:45

Three killed in Russian Covid-19 ward blaze, official blames ventilator

Three people were killed on Wednesday in a blaze that broke out at a Russian hospital treating patients with Covid-19, the authorities said, with one official suggesting a faulty ventilator was to blame.

Since the start of the pandemic, Russia has reported several fires at intensive care units that doctors said were caused by malfunctioning ventilators used to treat patients severely ill with the virus.

The fire broke out in the early hours of Wednesday at a hospital in the city of Ryazan, about 180km from Moscow, in a ward treating Covid-19 patients.

June 09 2021 - 09:21

China administered total of 808.96 mln doses of Covid-19 vaccines as of June 8

China administered about 14.8 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines on June 8, bringing the total number administered to 808.96 million, data from the National Health Authority showed on Wednesday.

-REUTERS

June 09 2021 - 07:34

NMU shuts down classes as Covid-19 numbers rise

Ten new Covid-19 cases among Nelson Mandela University (NMU) students in Gqeberha in the past 24 hours has prompted the university to suspend all face-to-face classes.

According to a memo sent to NMU staff and students on Tuesday, as evidenced by the sharp increase in the rate of infections across the province, a decision was taken to hold virtual classes in an attempt to bring the spread of the coronavirus under control.

“All mask-to-mask sessions will be halted from today [Tuesday] until we determine when it is safe to resume.

June 09 2021 - 07:28

India records 92,596 new COVID-19 cases over past 24 hours

India on Wednesday reported 92,596 new COVID-19 infections over the past 24 hours, and 2,219 deaths from the coronavirus.

The country's total COVID-19 case load now stands at 29.1 million, while total fatalities are at 353,528, according to data from the health ministry. 

-REUTERS

June 09 2021 - 07:00

FNB to help elderly register for Covid-19 vaccinations online

First National Bank (FNB) has announced it will help its elderly customers register for vaccines on government’s electronic vaccination data system (EVDS).

The initiative is in response to Business for SA’s (B4SA) appeal for businesses to assist government’s vaccination efforts to curb Covid-19.

The bank’s points of presence CEO Lee-Anne van Zyl said qualifying customers 60 and older who want to register on the EVDS and need help to do so can be assisted at any FNB branch nationwide.

June 09 2021 - 07:00

China reports 16 new coronavirus cases on June 8

China reported 16 new coronavirus cases on the mainland for June 8, down from 33 cases a day earlier, the health authority said in a statement on Wednesday.

Of the new cases, 8 were local transmissions from the southern province of Guangdong, the National Health Commission said.

China also reported 9 new asymptomatic infections, compared with 16 a day earlier. China does not classify symptomless infections as confirmed cases.

By Tuesday, China had a total of 91,316 confirmed infections. Its death toll stood unchanged at 4,636. 

-REUTERS