COVID-19 WRAP | SA records 13,261 Covid-19 cases in 24 hours

August 21 2021 - 21:40

Protesters in France demonstrate against Covid pass for sixth weekend

Thousands demonstrated across France for a sixth consecutive weekend on Saturday against a Covid-19 health pass required for daily activities, highlighting a simmering political risk for President Emmanuel Macron.

The Interior Ministry said around 175,500 people in total demonstrated on Saturday - down from roughly 215,000 last weekend although numbers could increase as people return from summer holidays.

The health pass is official documentation, with a QR scan code, that proves a person has had the Covid-19 vaccine.

-Reuters

August 21 2021 - 19:09

SA records 13,261 Covid-19 cases in 24 hours

SA recorded 13,261 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the national cumulative cases to 2,680,225 since the start of the pandemic.

The national death toll of Covid-19 related deaths increased by 268, the total number of deaths is now 79,251.

The total number of vaccines administered since the start of the rollout is 10,499,974.

August 21 2021 - 11:00

Rooibos could give you upper cuppa hand in fight against Covid-19

Rooibos could be just the cup of tea to get people through the Covid-19 pandemic.

Biotechnologists at Cape Peninsula University of Technology say many of the SA red tea's health-promoting qualities could “play a supportive role” during infections and among high-risk people.

Writing in the Journal of Functional Foods, postdoctoral fellow Naeem Sheik Abdul and Prof Jeanine Marnewick said: “However, it must be noted that rooibos is not a drug or substitute for clinical treatment of Covid-19.”

August 21 2021 - 10:18

‘They are enthusiastic’: David Makhura optimistic about vaccination of South Africans aged 18 and older

Gauteng premier David Makhura says he is looking forward to the vaccination of the over-18 cohort, saying this will give the vaccination drive much-needed momentum.

The premier was addressing the media at a pop-up mobile vaccination site launched in Springs on Thursday as part of the province's effort to get more people vaccinated.

“I am very confident that once we start opening for the 18 years [and older] we will see a lot of enthusiasm in this province. They have been waiting, they have been knocking on my doors and on my social media accounts, they have been asking when we are opening,” said Makhura.

August 21 2021 - 09:00

'Vaccine inequity is not only killing people, it's also killing jobs and businesses': WHO