COVID-19 WRAP | SA records 12,537 new Covid-19 cases in 24 hours

July 13 2021 - 20:50

Grim milestone passed as SA confirms more than 600 Covid-19 deaths in 24 hours

There were 633 Covid-19 related deaths recorded in the past 24 hours, taking the country past another grim milestone.

The deaths — the highest since February 2 when 547 were recorded — mean that there have now been 65,142 confirmed fatalities since the outbreak of the coronavirus in March last year.

The health department was quick to say that the deaths "did not all happen in the last 24 hours".

July 13 2021 - 15:54

Looting sprees, violence a concern in Gauteng’s Covid-19 fight: Makhura

As the number of Covid-19 cases continues to surge in Gauteng, premier David Makhura has warned ongoing violence and looting sprees will have a devastating impact.

People have been gathering in large groups to protest, vandalise property and loot businesses.

In Soweto, at least 10 people lost their lives in a stampede while looting in Meadowlands.

July 13 2021 - 14:32

Gauteng health department outlines hotspot areas as Covid-19 cases rise

Johannesburg still has the highest number of Covid-19 cases recorded in Gauteng, with all subdistricts reporting increasing numbers of new cases.

Statistics released by the Gauteng health department show there were 702,083 Covid-19 cases in total in the province by July 4, but this increased to 772,196 cases by July 11.

By July 4 there had been 13,466 deaths recorded in the province as a result of Covid-19. This increased to 14,465 deaths by July 11.

July 13 2021 - 12:20

Myanmar's Covid crisis worsens as mistrust of junta infects health system

When Ma Yati felt weak and feverish and lost her sense of smell, she had no doubt she had Covid-19.

But even with up to 30 people a day dying of the coronavirus in her home town of Kale in western Myanmar, she decided it was better to hole up in a room at home than get an official test or enter a quarantine centre.

“My trust in this junta healthcare system is 0%,” the 23-year-old told Reuters by telephone from her home, where she is now recovering and trying not to infect others.

"The quarantine centre has nobody to provide care. There will be nobody to help in case of emergency," she said.

Though there are no figures to show how many, more people like Ma Yati are shunning the state health system even as Covid-19 cases multiply, fearing substandard treatment at hospitals abandoned by medics in protest at the February 1 military coup and wary of giving legitimacy to the junta by turning to it for help.

Hospitals were under intense pressure even before the upsurge, with some reporting most of their medics had joined the anti-junta Civil Disobedience Movement.

As well as increasing the risk to their own health, medics say people's reluctance to be tested for Covid-19 or to enter quarantine could lead to more infections.

In contrast, the ousted civilian government appeared to have had more success in subduing previous waves of infections because of people's willingness to submit to testing, tracking and isolation.

A spokesman for the military authorities said they were doing all they could and appealed for cooperation.

"There are difficulties now," Zaw Min Tun told a news conference. "We know charity groups and people are suffering difficulties too and we want to ask them to cooperate with us."

Neither he nor the health ministry responded to further questions on the handling of the outbreak. But one of the junta's responses to the crisis has been to open military hospitals to the public, and step up services there.

Reuters

July 13 2021 - 12:00

Indonesia reports record daily increase in Covid-19 infections

Indonesia's Covid-19 task force reported 47,899 new coronavirus infections on Tuesday, the highest daily rise since record began in March 2020, bringing the total of cases to more than 2.6 million.

It also reported 864 new Covid-19 deaths, taking the total number of fatalities to over 68,000. 

Reuters

July 13 2021 - 11:00

Thai medical workers infected despite Sinovac jabs

Thailand will use AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine as a second dose for those who received Sinovac's shot as their first dose, after hundreds of health workers who received two doses of the Chinese vaccine were infected with Covid-19.

July 13 2021 - 10:30

US issues new warning on J&J Covid-19 vaccine

In a setback for Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine, the FDA added a warning to the fact sheet for the single-dose shot saying that data suggests an increased risk of a rare neurological disorder in the six weeks after inoculation.

July 13 2021 - 10:00

Gauteng vaccination sites halt operations as unrest and violence ravage the province: department

Vaccination sites around Gauteng were forced to halt operations as unrest and violent protests spread across the province. 

This is according to the provincial health department, which announced the disruption of services on Monday.

July 13 2021 - 09:50

Living with Covid-19: Israel changes strategy as Delta variant hits

After a rapid vaccination drive that had driven down coronavirus infections and deaths, Israelis had stopped wearing face masks and abandoned all social-distancing rules.

Then came the more infectious Delta variant, and a surge in cases that has forced Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to reimpose some Covid-19 restrictions and rethink strategy.

Under what he calls a policy of “soft suppression”, the government wants Israelis to learn to live with the virus — involving the fewest possible restrictions and avoiding a fourth national lockdown that could do further harm to the economy.

July 13 2021 - 07:50

What side effects can I expect from the Covid-19 vaccine?

As the Covid-19 vaccine programme continues to roll out across the country, some people are worried about the possible side effects of the jab.

July 13 2021 - 06:45

Chinese drugmakers to supply shots to COVAX 

The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization signed two advance purchase agreements with Chinese drugmakers Sinopharm and Sinovac to provide up to 550 million Covid-19 vaccines to the COVAX program.

July 13 2021 - 06:15

‘T-Rex’ gets vaccinated in Malaysia

Kenny Sia, a fitness instructor, dressed up for his vaccine appointment in a full dinosaur costume, much to the amusement of people and medical workers at a vaccination center in Malaysia.

July 13 2021 - 06:10

Sydney's Covid-19 cases ease but lockdown extension still on cards

Australian authorities reported a slight easing in new Covid-19 cases in Sydney on Tuesday, but left open the possibility of extending a lockdown in the country's largest city to douse an outbreak of the highly infectious Delta variant.

New South Wales state Premier Gladys Berejiklian warned the harbour city's more than 5 million residents not to become complacent as she reported 89 new locally transmitted cases, down from Monday's record high for the year of 112 cases.

"One day is not a trend, the numbers will keep bouncing around," Berejiklian said in a televised conference, urging people to stay home except for urgent reasons.

Authorities also reported the death of a man in his 70s, the second Covid-19 death in the country this year after a woman in her 90s died in recent days.

Most concerning to health officials was the fact that many people were moving around in the community while infectious, a trend that is likely to see Sydney's lockdown extend beyond the scheduled end date of Friday.

Reuters

July 13 2021 - 06:00

Japan to provide 1 mln more Covid vaccine doses to Taiwan

Japan will send a third batch of donated Covid-19 vaccines to Taiwan this week, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said on Tuesday, in a further show of support for the Chinese-claimed island which is now ramping up inoculations.

Motegi told reporters that the AstraZeneca Plc shots would be sent on Thursday, which would bring the country's total donations to Taiwan so far to almost 3.4 million doses.

The first batch was sent in June, followed by a second donation earlier this month.

Taiwan's Foreign Ministry expressed its thanks, especially at a time when Japan is facing its own serious coronavirus situation.

"The friendship between Taiwan and Japan is unwavering. The Foreign Ministry once again thanks our partners in freedom and democracy for their warm assistance and strong support," it added.

Taiwan has complained that Chinese interference blocked a deal earlier this year for it to get vaccines from Germany's BioNTech SE, charges Beijing has denied, but since then donations have rolled in for the government.

Last month the United States donated 2.5 million Moderna Inc doses, while the Baltic state of Lithuania has pledged 20,000 shots of AstraZeneca's vaccine.

Taiwan is rapidly expanding its vaccination programme, though so far only around one-tenth of its 23.5 million people have received at least one of the two shot regimen.

Reuters