COVID-19 LIVE UPDATES | Biden says Facebook, others 'killing people' by carrying Covid-19 misinformation

July 17 2021 - 12:18

Looting deals body blow to health care, and flood of Covid-19 cases will follow

In a week of winding queues for food in protest-ravaged areas of KwaZulu-Natal, doctors and nurses were forced to make important decisions: join the lines or return to work hungry to treat victims of protests and Covid-19.

Dr Prudence Buthelezi, general secretary of the National Health Care Professionals Association, said many chose the latter.

“Some of them have returned to work on empty stomachs because the shelves are empty and they are needed at the hospitals because they understand the oath they have taken. But it is difficult,” she said.

July 17 2021 - 09:24

Gauteng Cogta MEC Maile announces Covid-19 death of department head

The head of Gauteng's department of co-operative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta), Bongani Gxilishe, has died of Covid-19 complications.

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Gxilishe's death was announced on Saturday by Lebogang Maile, the MEC for human settlements, urban planning and Cogta.

“As the Gauteng government we are shattered by the passing away of head of department Gxilishe,” said Maile.

July 17 2021 - 09:20

Biden says Facebook, others 'killing people' by carrying Covid-19 misinformation

U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday said social media platforms like Facebook "are killing people" for allowing misinformation about coronavirus vaccines to be posted on its platform, as the administration continued criticizing the company.

"They're killing people. ... Look, the only pandemic we have is among the unvaccinated. And they're killing people," Biden told reporters at the White House when asked about misinformation and what his message was to social media platforms such as Facebook Inc's.

COVID-19 misinformation has proliferated during the pandemic on social media sites including Facebook, Twitter and Alphabet Inc-owned YouTube. Researchers and lawmakers have long accused Facebook of failing to police harmful content on its platforms.

-REUTERS