COVID-19 WRAP | SA records 2,281 new cases of Covid-19

September 19 2021 - 20:30

Key data on US J&J, Moderna Covid-19 boosters weeks away, Fauci

Data needed to determine the advisability of booster shots of the Moderna Inc and Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccines is just weeks away, President Joe Biden's chief medical adviser, Dr. Anthony Fauci, said on Sunday.

Health officials signaled they expected boosters would ultimately be recommended for a broad swath of the population, but urged Americans not to seek booster doses until they have FDA approval.

"We recommend that people wait until you get to the point where you fall into the category where it's recommended," he told CNN.

-Reuters

September 19 2021 - 19:11

SA records 2,281 new cases of Covid-19 

SA recorded 2,281 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours.

The total number of coronavirus cases in the country is 2,882,630 as of Sunday evening, with 58 Covid-19 related deaths recorded bringing the national death toll to 86,174.

According the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, the 2,281 confirmed cases today are is "lower than the average number of new cases per day over the 7 preceding days (n= 3 491)" and the seven-day moving average has decreased. 

The number of vaccines that have been administered is 15,992,374 to date.

September 19 2021 - 18:09

Brazil reports over 150,000 Covid-19 cases in one day amid Rio backlog

Brazil reported 935 Covid-19 deaths on Saturday and some 150,106 additional cases, according to data released by the nation's Health Ministry, an unusually large number due to what officials said was an adjustment in how case numbers are tabulated.

Some 92,614 cases occurred in Rio de Janeiro in recent months, but only entered into the official count in the last 24 hours, the Health Ministry said.

Rio's state-level health ministry attributed the number of cases registered to new demands from the federal Health Ministry regarding case counting, the details of which were not revealed.

-Reuters

September 19 2021 - 16:21

Data shows 98% of over-60s who died in Western Cape at peak of Covid-19 third wave were not fully vaccinated

Data collected over a week during the peak of the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in the Western Cape indicates that vaccines were “highly effective” at preventing infection, hospitalisation and deaths in the province's over-60s population.

People over 60 years old are considered to be a high risk group for Covid-19 infection and during the third wave 2,455 of this group contracted the virus between August 14 and 20.

Provincial health data revealed that 92% of those who contracted the virus during this period were not fully vaccinated. Fully vaccinated means 14 days or more after the second Pfizer jab or 28 days post the Johnson & Johnson jab.

September 19 2021 - 14:22

'No reasonable basis' for UK to keep SA on travel red list, says Pandor

International relations and co-operation (Dirco) minister Naledi Pandor said on Sunday there was “no reasonable basis” for the decision to keep SA on the red list of countries facing stringent restrictions and high costs when entering the UK.

Dirco said it would work with stakeholders to intensify efforts to have SA removed from the UK’s red list.

This follows the latest notice by the UK updated on Friday, which kept SA on the red list, meaning that travellers will be subject to stringent restrictions when entering the UK. 

September 19 2021 - 13:14

Eastern Cape exceeds the 1-million Covid-19 vaccination mark

More than a million people have been fully vaccinated for Covid-19 in the Eastern Cape, the provincial health department said on Sunday.

“This is a big achievement for the province, but as the department, we still have a responsibility to encourage those eligible to come forward for vaccination,” said health MEC Nomakhosazana Meth.  

A total of 1,002,813 people had been fully vaccinated in the province by September 16, the department said in a statement.

September 19 2021 - 10:48

India reports 30,773 coronavirus cases

India reported 30,773 new coronavirus infections in the past 24 hours, the federal health ministry said on Sunday, taking its COVID-19 tally to 33.4 million cases.

The death toll rose by 309 to 444,838, data from the ministry showed.

The country has administered 804.3 million vaccine doses. 

-Reuters

September 19 2021 - 07:18

New Zealand sees small increase in daily Covid-19 cases over weekend

New Zealand reported 24 new locally acquired coronavirus cases on Sunday, up from 20 on Saturday, showing an upturn after several days of lower numbers, as the country's largest city Auckland awaits to hear if its lockdown restrictions will ease.

All of the new cases have been reported in greater Auckland, a city of about 1.7 million people which has been in a full level 4 lockdown since mid-August.

The government of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is to announce on Monday whether the alert levels for Auckland and rest of the country will be changed.

-Reuters