COVID-19 WRAP | SA records 16,302 new Covid-19 cases in 24 hours

July 11 2021 - 21:28

Some good news! SA to produce 17 million Covid-19 vaccines in next three months

As SA entered week three of at least four weeks of alert level 4 lockdown, President Cyril Ramaphosa said one of the country’s top challenges in expanding vaccine rollout was the availability of doses.

Ramaphosa said this was to be addressed by a historic agreement that will see SA producing 17 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson single shot vaccine — under licence rather than contract — for SA and other countries in Africa.

“In the last few days, the African Union, through our office as the AU Covid-19 champion, and the European Union have reached a historic agreement that will significantly improve the supply of vaccines to our country and our sister countries on the African continent,” Ramaphosa said in an address to the nation on Sunday evening.

July 11 2021 - 21:15

Restaurants & gyms to reopen: Ramaphosa keeps SA on adjusted level 4 for another two weeks

President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation on July 11 2021 after a national coronavirus command council meeting earlier in the day.  The president kept SA on adjusted level 4 for another two weeks.

Ramaphosa announced that many of the existing rules and regulations will stay in place until July 25 2021, such as the ban of alcohol sales, the curfew, schools closing and prohibited gatherings. While all of those rules stay in place, some change too, such as the reopening of restaurants and gyms under strict restrictions and protocols. 

About an hour before Ramaphosa's address, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) said that there were 16,302 new Covid-19 cases recorded in the past 24 hours. There were also 151 Covid-19 related deaths recorded in the same period.

July 11 2021 - 20:57

IN FULL | Ramaphosa's full address to the nation as SA remains on level 4 lockdown

Any hopes of SA moving away from lockdown level 4 restrictions were dashed on Sunday night, as President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the regulations would remain in place for another two weeks.

This means that, until July 25, social, political and religious gatherings were banned, and that the nationwide curfew remained in place from 9pm until 4am.

"The sale of alcohol remains prohibited. Schools will remain closed until July 26. It remains mandatory to wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth whenever you are in public," said Ramaphosa.

July 11 2021 - 20:19

Ramaphosa keeps SA on lockdown level 4

SA will remain on lockdown alert level 4, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Sunday night, maintaining the bans on alcohol sales and gatherings.

He said that all gatherings, excluding funerals, remained prohibited. The curfew remained in place from 9pm to 4am, and the ban on alcohol sales remained in place.

July 11 2021 - 20:09

SA to remain on level 4 for another 14 days

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that SA will remain under lockdown level 4 for another 14 days. 

Alcohol sales and public gatherings remain banned during this period. 

July 11 2021 - 20:06

Ramaphosa says restaurants and gyms can re-open

During his address to the nation on Sunday night, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that restaurants can start operating again with sit-down customers at 50% of their normal capacity. 

The president also announced that gyms and fitness centres can operate again. 

July 11 2021 - 19:16

SA records 16,302 new Covid-19 cases in 24 hours

There were 16,302 new Covid-19 cases recorded in the past 24 hours, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) said on Sunday.

The new cases came at a positivity rate of 30.4%.

The NICD said that there were also 151 Covid-19 related deaths in the past 24 hours, meaning that 64,289 people have died from the coronavirus in SA to date.

July 11 2021 - 18:40

UK reports 31,772 further Covid-19 cases, 26 more deaths

Britain on Sunday reported a further 31,772 Covid-19 cases and 26 additional deaths within 28 days of a positive test, according to official figures, slightly down on the previous day's totals but up on the same time last week.

Reuters

July 11 2021 - 17:52

Ramaphosa likely to extend Covid-19 lockdown regulations, but some rules could be relaxed

President Cyril Ramaphosa is likely to announce an extension of the stricter level four lockdown regulations when he addresses the nation on Sunday evening.

Ramaphosa's spokesperson, Tyrone Seale, confirmed on Sunday afternoon that the president will be addressing the nation at 8pm.

The country is currently at level four of the adjusted lockdown regulations. Under level four, all gatherings are banned, except for funerals, and the sale of alcohol is also prohibited. Restaurants are only allowed to sell takeaways, and leisure travel to and from Gauteng is also banned — with the province still the epicentre of the country's third wave.

July 11 2021 - 17:00

Italy reports seven coronavirus deaths on Sunday, 1,391 new cases

Italy reported seven coronavirus-related deaths on Sunday, following 12 the day before, the health ministry said, while the daily tally of new infections decreased to 1,391 from 1,400.

Italy has registered 127,775 deaths linked to Covid-19 since its outbreak emerged in February last year, the second-highest toll in Europe after Britain.

It has had 4.27 million cases to date.Patients in hospital with Covid-19 - not including those in intensive care - stood at 1,134 on Sunday, down from 1,147 a day earlier.

Reuters

July 11 2021 - 15:08

Open up takeaway alcohol sales, liquor body asks Ramaphosa ahead of national address

The National Liquor Traders has asked President Cyril Ramaphosa to allow takeaway alcohol sales when new Covid-19 regulations are released.

Ramaphosa will address the nation on Sunday, two weeks after he announced the introduction of lockdown level 4 restrictions. As part of those new regulations, the sale of alcohol was completely banned.

But the organisation's convener, Lucky Ntimane, in a letter to Ramaphosa, has requested that tavern and shebeen permit holidays be allowed to sell alcohol “on a takeaway basis” seven days a week, from 10am to 6pm. He also asked that bottle stores be allowed to sell alcohol for off-premises consumption from Monday to Friday, from 10am to 6pm.

July 11 2021 - 15:55

Ramaphosa to address the nation at 8pm

President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the nation at 8pm on Sunday night, the presidency has confirmed.

Ramaphosa was widely expected to make the address on Sunday night after moving the country to lockdown level 4 exactly two weeks before.

The president was meeting with the National Coronavirus Command Council, the President’s Coordinating Council and with cabinet on Sunday ahead of the address.

July 11 2021 - 15:39

Chinese firm says to provide Taiwan with 10 million Covid-19 vaccines

China's Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group Co Ltd, the Chinese sales agent for Germany's BioNTech SE, said on Sunday it had signed a deal to provide 10 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine to Taiwan.

The company has agreed to provide the vaccines via its Hong Kong subsidiary to Taiwan chipmaker TSMC and the charity foundation of Terry Gou, the billionaire founder of contract electronics maker Foxconn.

Reuters

July 11 2021 - 14:45

Vietnam to expand movement curbs as coronavirus cases hit record high

Vietnam will impose movement restrictions in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho for 14 days starting on Monday, the government said on Sunday, as the Southeast Asian country battles its worst outbreak of the pandemic.

The city of 1.23 million people in the far south has reported seven infections over the past week, the government said in a statement.

After successfully containing the disease for much of the pandemic, Vietnam has faced a more stubborn outbreak since late April, with daily infections climbing to record levels.

Reuters

July 11 2021 - 14:10

Israel offers third shot of Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine to adults at risk

Israel said on Sunday it will begin offering a third dose of Pfizer Inc's vaccine to adults with weak immune systems but it was still weighing whether to make the booster available to the general public.

The rapid spread of the Delta variant has sent vaccination rates in Israel back up as new infections have risen over the past month from single digits to around 450 a day, and the country has moved to fast-track its next Pfizer shipment.

Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz said that effective immediately, adults with impaired immune systems who had received two doses of the Pfizer vaccine could get a booster shot, with a decision pending on wider distribution.

Reuters

July 11 2021 - 05:45

Today is the last day of the 14-day level 4 lockdown, will it be extended?