COVID-19 WRAP | SA records 924 new Covid-19 cases

October 08 2021 - 19:45

Covid-19 related deaths climb by 132 on Friday

On the day SA officially launched its digital e-vaccination portal another 132 Covid-19 related deaths were reported, bringing total fatalities since the start of the pandemic to 88,236.

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) said in an update on Friday evening that 924 new Covid-19 cases had been identified in the country. The total number of laboratory-confirmed cases to date now stands at 2,910,681.

The majority of new cases were from the Western Cape (22%), followed by KwaZulu-Natal (19%) and Gauteng (15%). Limpopo recorded the lowest number of new cases for the day at 4%.

October 08 2021 - 16:43

Tourism lobby pulled through for SA in wrangle over UK red list

As the global Covid-19 response draws closer to ending its second year, the SA tourism industry, battered by local and international lockdowns, is finally seeing light at the end of a very long and dark tunnel.

The sector and government breathed a collective sigh of relief after the UK confirmed it had removed SA from its travel “red list” on Thursday.

UK tourists comprise a significant number of visitors to SA but the industry, including SA companies like Flight Centre Travel Group, also generates income from SA travellers departing to the UK for business, tourism and social visits.

October 08 2021 - 15:07

British Airways to resume flights to Cape Town, ramp up service by December

British Airways expects to ramp up its services to SA to include double daily flights between the UK and Cape Town by mid-December following SA’s removal from the UK’s much criticised Covid-19 “red list”.

On Friday the airline said it was expecting to offer daily services to Johannesburg, also by mid-December.

“Following the welcome news that a significant number of countries have been removed from the UK government’s red list, British Airways is resuming services and increasing frequencies to a number of destinations.

October 08 2021 - 11:22

As Sydney readies to exit lockdown, doctors fret reopening is moving too fast

Australian doctors warned a too-rapid easing of Covid-19 curbs in Sydney could put pressure on health systems and risk lives, as the city prepares for key restrictions to be relaxed next week after more than 100 days in lockdown. 

Stay-at-home orders are due to be lifted on Monday after New South Wales state this week hit its 70% target of full vaccination for its adult population, and owners of restaurants and other public venues are now scrambling to arrange supplies and staffing.

While an easing of restrictions on travel for Sydneysiders outside their local government areas had previously been flagged, authorities on Thursday also decided to bump up permitted limits for home gatherings, weddings and funerals — earning the ire of the Australian Medical Association (AMA).

October 08 2021 - 11:05

Here's how the Western Cape plans to 'get the balance right' if lockdown ends

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde has detailed plans to “get the balance right” should the national state of disaster end. 

On Thursday, Winde wrote a letter to President Cyril Ramaphosa requesting a consultation with provinces before any possible extension on the state of disaster.

Last month the state of disaster was extended by the cabinet until October 15. 

Winde said he asked government to be transparent about its proposed road map out of the national state of disaster. The road map has not yet been made public or shared with provinces.

October 08 2021 - 11:00

EU ambassador says Russia delays EMA vaccine inspections

Russia has repeatedly delayed inspections by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) necessary for the certification of its Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine in the European Union, the EU's ambassador to Moscow was quoted as saying on Friday.

The Sputnik V shot, widely used in Russia and approved for use in more than 70 countries, is undergoing a review by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the EMA, needed for approval for markets outside Russia.

Russia has accused the West of refusing to certify its main vaccine for political reasons, and that this makes it harder for Russians to travel.

"This is a technical rather than a political process," EU ambassador Markus Ederer told Russian media outlet Ros Business Consulting in an interview.

"When Russian officials talk about the process being delayed and politicised by the European side, I sometimes think they are largely referring to themselves because it is them who makes this about politics."

Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said this month that all the barriers to register Sputnik V with the WHO have been cleared and only some paperwork remained to be completed. 

Reuters

October 08 2021 - 10:30

Singapore plans to expand quarantine-free travel with S. Korea, US

Singapore plans to widen its quarantine-free travel programme to include fully vaccinated individuals from South Korea and the United States as the financial hub moves cautiously to reopen its borders.

Fully vaccinated travelers can travel between the city-state's Changi airport and South Korea's Incheon airport, taking Covid-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests instead of observing quarantine from November 15, the transport ministry said in a statement on Friday.

Singapore, a travel and tourism hub, began a similar programme for visitors from Germany and Brunei last month, and is working to include the United States by year-end.

"We have had successful pilots of Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTL) with Germany and Brunei," Trade Minister Gan Kim Yong said on Thursday during a visit to Washington, D.C.

"We are now working on a VTL with the U.S. as soon as possible, and certainly before the end of the year."

Vaccinated visitors using these lanes can bypass the isolation requirements if their polymerase chain reaction tests prove negative.

Reuters

October 08 2021 - 09:58

Vaccine e-certificates made available amid positive indicators of Covid-19 relief

The digital e-vaccination portal has been officially launched after several days of live testing, and according to EVDS project manager Milani Wolmarans, top cyber security specialists are working to ensure “ no personal data is shared”.

October 08 2021 - 08:00

Finland limits Moderna Covid-19 vaccine

Finland on Thursday paused the use of Moderna's Covid-19 vaccine for younger males due to reports of a rare cardiovascular side effect, joining Sweden and Denmark in limiting its use.

October 08 2021 - 07:00

I've lost my vaccine card/ EVDS number, can I get a replacement?

Vaccinated people who lost their vaccine card can replace the card and the unique 12-digit Electronic Vaccination Data System (EVDS) number by visiting the vaccination site where they got their  jab. 

According to the department of health, during vaccination, all vaccination information is captured in the EVDS including the dose received, batch number and manufacturer.

Spokesperson for the Gauteng MEC for  health, Kwara Kekana, suggested that the easiest way to replace the vaccine card is by “going to the site where one was vaccinated and speak to the site manager”. 

The vaccination information will be accessible via the EVDS and can be retrieved using your ID, passport or asylum number. 

October 08 2021 - 07:00

Ageing nurses: A crisis on the near horizon for SA

Nurses make up a large part of the healthcare workforce in SA, but almost half of them are set to retire in the next 15 years, making current shortages only the beginning of what seems likely to be a growing problem.

October 08 2021 - 06:00

Moderna to build vaccine plant in Africa

Moderna plans to invest up to $500 million to build a factory in Africa to make up to 500 million doses of mRNA vaccines each year, including its Covid-19 shot, as pressure grows on the pharmaceutical industry to manufacture drugs on the continent.