COVID-19 WRAP | SA records more than 19,500 new Covid-19 cases, 380 deaths in 24 hours

June 30 2021 - 22:01

Attacks on SA health products regulator uncalled for: Kubayi

Acting health minister Mmamoloko Kubayi on Wednesday defended the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) leadership against ongoing attacks.

“I hope members [of parliament] will stand with us and say that what happened against Sahpra’s leadership is uncalled for,” said Kubayi.

Kubayi was speaking during a portfolio committee on health meeting in parliament on the acquisition of vaccines, vaccine rollout and an update on the new Delta variant. The acting minister was referring to an EFF march against the authority at which the party demanded the approval of more vaccines, particularly those from Russia and China.

June 30 2021 - 19:26

SA records more than 19,500 new Covid-19 cases, 380 deaths in 24 hours

Gauteng recorded 11,160 new Covid-19 infections in the past 24 hours, as it continued to be the country's coronavirus epicentre.

There were 19,506 new infections recorded across SA in the past 24 hours, as well as 383 deaths, according to the latest statistics from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD). The new cases came at a positivity rate of 27.6%.

Apart from Gauteng's spike in new cases, there were other concerns as the Western Cape recorded 2,059 cases in the past 24 hours. On top of this, four provinces recorded more than 1,000 cases — the North West reported 1,428 cases, KZN 1,265 cases, and Limpopo 1,234 cases.

30 June 2021 - 16:26

Postponing elections would be a constitutional 'assault', Moseneke inquiry hears

A postponement of October's local government elections would be an assault on the constitution of the country — and was a move that ActionSA would actively oppose.

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This was the view of Michael Beaumont, the party's national chairperson, on Wednesday.

He made the submission before the Moseneke inquiry which is looking into the feasibility of holding free and fair elections under Covid-19 conditions later this year.

30 June 2021 - 15:57

Covid-19 jabs: Calls mounting for key sectors to move up the vaccination queue

As the number of coronavirus cases continues to climb, there are growing pleas for some sectors to be bumped up the vaccination queue.

Agility Agri, an employee benefit and healthcare solution for the agricultural industry, has asked that farmers and farm workers be prioritised for vaccination.

The Shoprite Group and the Fuel Retailers Association of SA (FRA) are among those making the same plea.

30 June 2021 - 15:50

SAB 'has no alternative' but to fight fourth alcohol ban in 18 months

SA Breweries (SAB) says while it is sensitive to the third wave of Covid-19 it has “no alternative” but to legally challenge the latest alcohol sales ban.

SAB said in a statement it agreed that lawful and reasonable measures were needed to curb the spread of the pandemic, and to save lives and livelihoods. However, it contended that the fourth ban on alcohol sales in 18 months was unsubstantiated by robust scientific evidence.

30 June 2021 - 15:22

KZN reveals battle plan to contain Delta variant prevalent in six districts

KwaZulu-Natal premier Sihle Zikalala revealed on Wednesday that the highly transmissible Delta variant is prevalent in six districts of the province.

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Zikalalala made the announcement at a media briefing, where he outlined a battle plan for dealing with the third wave as well as the infectious Delta variant.

The variant was first discovered in India in October 2020 and has come to dominate new Covid-19 infections around the world. The strain is more transmissible than previous variants.

30 June 2021 - 15:05

Restaurants battered by lockdown sell perishable stock to home buyers

Wholesalers and restaurants saddled with perishable food that can't be used because of level 4 lockdown rules are embracing innovative solutions to avoid waste and being left out of pocket.

The sit-down industry has been heavily impacted by the Covid-19 regulations forbidding the sale of alcohol, gatherings and imposing an earlier curfew.

Allen Denby, spokesperson for Johannesburg-based wholesaler Trakstar Food Solutions, said the tightened restrictions had effectively halted business again.

30 June 2021 - 15:00

Prince Kaybee vows to join 'national march' against the lockdown

Prince Kaybee has thrown his hat in the ring after announcing that he will be marching alongside Mzansi as plans for anti-lockdown protests crop up across the nation.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Sunday that the country would be moving to an adjusted alert level 4 due to the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

Since then many have taken to social media to express their dissatisfaction with the updated rules and regulations of the lockdown.

30 June 2021 - 13:36

Netcare patient load in Gauteng is 100% more than Covid-19 first wave

The virulence of the Delta strain of Covid-19 has been spelled out by the Netcare hospital group.

CEO Dr Richard Friedland said on Wednesday the surge in Covid-19 cases and high admissions to hospitals in Gauteng are directly linked to the emergence of the Delta variant in SA.

“Initial modelling suggested Gauteng would experience a third wave which would be lower than the second wave but may last longer, in other words the ‘lower for longer scenario’. This appeared to be the case until the first week of June, when the daily number of positive cases started to break the trend, rising exponentially on June 15.

30 June 2021 - 11:30

Why are flights not banned under level 4 lockdown? Fikile Mbalula clears the air

Transport minister Fikile Mbalula said on Tuesday the government is not considering halting airline operations under alert level 4 lockdown as it has been advised they are not superspreaders.

Speaking at a media briefing by the national coronavirus command council (NCCC) about the heightened regulations, the minister said the government cannot afford to shut down the aviation industry as this would negatively affect the economy.

“We take advice on all health protocols from the ministry of health, NCCC and relevant health advisers. International and domestic airlines adhere to health protocols. All passengers are screened and advised to wear masks. We have been advised the aviation sector and airlines are not superspreaders,” said Mbalula.

30 June 2021 - 10:00

Vaccinate at the groove? - Riky Rick says government should ‘turn super-spreaders into super-vaxers’

Amid calls for a faster vaccine rollout to curb the spread of Covid-19, musician Riky Rick has suggested a novel approach to tackling the problem.

A surge in infections led to President Cyril Ramaphosa announcing stricter lockdown measures on Sunday, including the banning of all social gatherings for 14 days. There is also a ban on the sale of alcohol for on-site and off-site consumption, and restaurants are closed for sit-ins.

Reacting to the announcement, and the president’s plea for those eligible to get vaccinated, Riky took to social media to suggest government uses promoters and venues as part of the vaccine rollout.

30 June 2021 - 08:24

Here’s how you can help hospitals during the third wave, and it’s not about booze

Strong demand for hospital beds is evident in four provinces, including the Covid-19 third wave hotspot Gauteng, says Mediclinic.

Increased demand for care is also noted in Mpumalanga, Limpopo and the Western Cape.

“This demand is being experienced across much of the industry as a result of the increase in patient numbers and severity of patients’ conditions, and is expected to continue in the coming weeks,” the hospital group said.

For now, it is managing the demand.

30 June 2021 - 08:14

401 children died from Covid-19 between March and May 2021

Hundreds of children died from illnesses related to Covid-19 in SA between March and May 2021. 

This was according to data released by the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD).

The NICD said there were 9,918 hospital admissions associated with Covid-19 among individuals aged 19 years and younger during the period. In-hospital data was available for 9,443 of these patients.

30 June 2021 - 08:00

Diepsloot residents shun masks, while others abide

While the residents of Diepsloot continue with their lives seemingly unperturbed by alert level 4, people in areas such as Rosebank have made themselves scarce and tend to wear masks in public. 

During the level 5 hard lockdown last year, TimesLIVE visited the township and noted that people were walking about without abiding by regulations. And it was the same again on Tuesday.

“I’ve been detained before because I wasn’t wearing a mask. I still won’t wear it. I suffer from asthma and I can’t risk my health further. People here don’t have the luxury to stay indoors and observe the protocols; we are already too poor and congested to care. We are crowded,” said 32-year-old Kutlwano Goitsemang.

30 June 2021 - 07:00

Do I have Covid-19 or ‘just flu’?

As the winter flu season grips Mzansi during a surge in Covid-19 infections, it can be difficult to tell if you are suffering from flu or Covid-19.

30 June 2021 - 07:00

Alert level 4 in full swing: Mango adjusts flights in line with the curfew

Mango Airlines has adjusted its flights in line with alert level 4 lockdown as announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday. 

The airline said flights affected by the curfew, which is between 9pm and 4am, will be adjusted accordingly.

The president said the tightened restrictions will be in place for two weeks. He said travel for leisure purposes in and out of Gauteng, which is the epicentre of Covid-19 infections, will be prohibited.

30 June 2021 - 06:40

As cases, deaths soar in Russia, why are vaccination rates low?

Russia has reported a record daily high of Covid-19 deaths on Tuesday. 652 people died, and authorities say they're battling a surge of infections driven by the Delta variant.

30 June 2021 - 06:30

How Zimbabwe’s ‘WhatsApp classrooms’ are helping pupils learn during the pandemic

After finding out the challenges students were facing during the coronavirus pandemic, a young man from Zimbabwe started “WhatsApp Classrooms” to tutor pupils from home. 

Maxwell Chimedza, 27, from Mbare, one of the oldest townships in Harare, started the WhatsApp classrooms for pupils who are sitting for Zimbabwe’s high school exams — the A-Levels. Chimedza is a top achiever, with 14 A-Level examination distinctions, but his family didn’t have the money to send him to university.

30 June 2021 - 06:30

Airlines fear chaos over digital Covid passports

Groups representing Europe's largest airlines and airports have warned of chaos and hours-long queues unless countries better coordinate the roll-out of the EU's digital Covid-19 certificate and ensure passengers are processed before arriving at airports.

30 June 2021 - 06:20

India reports 45,951 new Covid-19 cases, 817 deaths

India reported on Wednesday 45,951 new Covid-19 infections over the past 24 hours, data from the health ministry showed.

India's coronavirus-related deaths rose by 817 overnight. 

Reuters

30 June 2021 - 06:07

Health Canada recommends people with rare blood condition not get AstraZeneca vaccine

Health Canada said late on Tuesday it has recommended that people with a history of capillary leak syndrome not be inoculated with drugmaker AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine.

"Health Canada is updating the product monograph - or label - for the AstraZeneca and COVISHIELD Covid-19/ vaccines to add capillary leak syndrome as a potential side effect, with a warning for patients with a history of capillary leak syndrome to not get the AstraZeneca or COVISHIELD Covid-19 vaccine", it said in a statement.

Capillary leak syndrome (CLS) is a very rare, serious condition that causes fluid leakage from small blood vessels (capillaries), resulting in limb swelling, low blood pressure, thickening of the blood and low levels of an important blood protein.

Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada have been monitoring this condition since it was raised as a potential safety concern by the European Medicines Agency in April, the statement added.

Until June 11, one case of capillary leak syndrome following vaccination with AstraZeneca's vaccine has been reported in Canada, Health Canada said.

Earlier this month, the European Medicines Agency's safety committee said that capillary leak syndrome must be added as a new side effect to labeling on AstraZeneca's vaccine, known as Vaxzevria.

Britain's regulator, the MHRA, has previously said it was considering precautionary advice for people with a history of CLS but does not see a causal link with the vaccine.

Reuters 

30 June 2021 - 06:00

Thulas Nxesi says paying Ters benefits is ‘a balancing act where we have to look at affordability versus the need’

The government confirmed on Tuesday it was looking to provide income support to businesses effectively shut down by level four lockdown restrictions announced on Sunday.

Speaking at a media briefing on Tuesday, employment and labour minister Thulas Nxesi said “social partners” involved in the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) would be “engaging” with each other this week to “thrash out a plan for income support” for those industries closed by the government under the regulations.

Nedlac is the vehicle used by the government, labour and business to cooperate to find negotiated solutions for all parties.

Nxesi said in response to the level four lockdown, Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) management “has been locked in discussions with actuaries to find surplus monies to address the new conditions”.