COVID-19 WRAP | SA records nearly 8,000 new Covid-19 cases with WC, KZN & EC recording more infections than Gauteng

August 16 2021 - 19:52

SA records nearly 8,000 new Covid-19 cases with WC, KZN and EC recording more infections than Gauteng

There were 7,983 new Covid-19 cases and 299 coronavirus-related fatalities recorded in SA in the past 24 hours, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) said on Monday.

For the first time since the start of the third wave of the virus, Gauteng is not among the top three hardest-hit provinces.

Instead, the Western Cape (2,119 cases), KwaZulu-Natal (1,949 cases) and the Eastern Cape (1,438 cases) all surpassed Gauteng's 694 confirmed infections.

August 16 2021 - 17:09

Covid-19 vaccinations to open for all adults soon, health minister says

Health minister Dr Joe Phaahla on Monday suggested that Covid-19 vaccinations could be open to everyone over 18 before the end of the week.

Speaking to Radio 702 on Monday, Phaahla said the government had initially planned that vaccinations for those older than 18 would start in September.

Phaahla said he was in further consultations with the cabinet that could bring that deadline forward.

August 16 2021 - 12:32

POLL | Should the Covid-19 vaccine be mandatory?

A decline in the number of vaccines administered in the country over the past few weeks has sparked concern, with some suggesting a conversation on making the jab mandatory.

According to the health department, more women than men are getting the jab.

Thus far 9,387,129 vaccines have been administered. On Friday a total of 153,999 jabs were administered, more than 43% lower than the daily record of 273,011 set on July 21. This week's total was the lowest since the end of June.

August 16 2021 - 11:00

What you said about recieving perks for getting the Covid-19 vaccine

As SA’s vaccine rollout slows, readers have weighed in on suggestions that government look at incentivising Covid-19 vaccinations.

Prof Francois Venter of Wits University told the Sunday Times: “The continued inability to hit daily vaccine targets should be seen as a national emergency.”

All citizens over 18 will be able to get the vaccine from September 1, but Venter warned that dropping the vaccination age thresholds would not prevent a fourth wave disaster.

August 16 2021 - 10:00

Hong Kong reclassifies 15 countries as 'high risk' for COVID-19

Hong Kong's government said it would upgrade 15 overseas places including the United States, Spain and France to "high risk" from "medium risk" by Aug. 20, meaning international arrivals from those countries will face lengthened quarantine due to a resurgence of the coronavirus.

The government said arrivals from Bangladesh, Cambodia, France, Greece, Iran, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United States would all face the new restrictions, according to a statement released on Monday.

Hong Kong has some of the most stringent coronavirus entry requirements globally, with arrivals from countries considered "high risk" mandated to undergo compulsory quarantine for 21 days in a designated quarantine hotel, even those who are vaccinated.

The government said there had been acute surges in the number of confirmed cases in a short period of time in many countries.

"Despite large-scale vaccination programmes, many places are also experiencing resurgence of the virus, which poses enormous challenges to our local anti-epidemic efforts," the statement said.

Australia will be reclassified as "medium risk" from "low risk" from Aug. 20, meaning that even vaccinated arrivals will need to quarantine for 14 nights unless they have a positive antibody test result conducted by a laboratory recognised by the Hong Kong Government, which then allows them to do a seven-day quarantine.

Countries including Brazil, India, and the United Kingdom had already been classified as "high risk", but the government had largely relaxed measures for travellers from most other countries, prompting hope of increased international travel for residents and a greater number of foreign visitors.

-Reuters

August 16 2021 - 7:47

China's new local Covid-19 infections fall for sixth day

New local Covid-19 infections in China declined for a sixth day, official data showed on Monday, as most regions pulled the latest outbreak under control, while others kept up vigilance by adding mass testing or delaying school re-openings.

In its lowest daily tally since July 24, China reported 13 new domestically transmitted Covid-19 cases for Sunday, the data from the National Health Commission (NHC) showed.

Six local cases each were detected in the eastern province of Jiangsu and the central province of Henan, with one in the southern province of Hunan, the commission said.

Over the weekend, the cities of Zhengzhou and Shangqiu in Henan started a fourth round of mass tests citywide.

Five officials in the provincial city of Shangqiu, including one from a hospital, have been stripped of their roles over negligence in virus control efforts, the official Xinhua news agency said.

In a statement on Sunday, city officials said more infections had followed a patient and their family failed to report travel details quickly and accurately.

While the eastern city of Nanjing, linked to many local infections since late July, has reported no more than two daily local cases since August 4, its officials on Sunday delayed the autumn re-opening of high schools and kindergartens until the risk dwindles further.

Reuters

August 16 2021 - 7:39

Japan to extend "state of emergency" lockdown through mid-September

The Japanese government is set to extend its "state of emergency" soft lockdown in regions including Tokyo to the middle of September as well as adding several other regions, the Sankei Shimbun daily reported on Monday.

The current state of emergency is due to expire on August 31, but a continuing surge in coronavirus cases has spurred calls to extend it.

A meeting of the four parties concerned with running the Tokyo Paralympics, due to start from August 24, is set to meet later on Monday to decide how to handle the issue of spectators, NHK public television reported. Organisers agreed last week to limit spectators at the Paralympic events, media reports said, due to the continuing state of emergency in Tokyo. The Olympics were held mostly without spectators.

Though the Japanese government has instituted repeated states of emergency, their effectiveness has been limited due to laws mandating that the government can only request co-operation.

Pandemic fatigue and summer vacations have also been blamed for contributing to the latest Covid-19 surge in a nation where only around 36% of people have been fully vaccinated.

Reuters

August 16 2021 - 6:00

Sydney records deadliest day of Covid-19 pandemic, Melbourne lockdown extended

Australia's biggest city of Sydney recorded its deadliest day of the Covid-19 pandemic on Monday, while residents in Melbourne face a nightly curfew and a further two weeks of lockdown amid a surge in infections.

Sydney, which is in its eighth week of lockdown, is the epicentre of Australia's third Covid-19 wave that threatens to push the country's A$2-trillion ($1.5-trillion) economy into its second recession in as many years.

New South Wales state Premier Gladys Berejiklian said seven people in Sydney had died from Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, surpassing the state's previous record daily toll from earlier this month.

Berejiklian said New South Wales has also detected 478 infections, the highest one-day rise since the pandemic begun.

"Our community transmission numbers are disturbingly high," Berejiklian told reporters in Sydney.

"Every death is a person who has loved ones, who has died in tragic circumstances and our heartfelt condolences to all of those loved ones and families."

Authorities also confirmed the death of 15-year-old boy from Sydney, who had pneumococcal meningitis and Covid-19.

Reuters