COVID-19 WRAP | SA records 339 new Covid-19 cases

November 05 2021 - 19:54

Covid-19: SA records 339 new cases, 44 deaths in 24 hours

SA recorded 339 new Covid-19 cases and 44 deaths in the past 24 hours, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases said on Friday.

This means that there have been 2,923,393 confirmed cases and 89,295 fatalities across SA since the virus reached SA in March 2020.

November 05 2021 - 14:40

England's Covid prevalence steadies at highest level of the year, ONS says

The prevalence of Covid-19 infections in England remained at around 1 in 50 people in the week ending October 30, a school half-term break, Britain's Office for National Statistics said on Friday, steadying at its highest level of the year.

The ONS said that prevalence was unchanged from the previous week, after five straight weeks of rising infections.

The ONS said that the trend was "uncertain" in the latest week, after infections had been on the rise leading up to the half term break, which for most schools started on October 25.

Infection rates decreased for older, senior school children over the week, the ONS said, dipping to 7.5% from 9.1% the previous week.

However, prevalence remained the highest in those children, and the ONS said that it was too early to determine the impact of the half-term holiday on infections in school children."

Rates have decreased for school Year 7 to school Year 11 in the most recent week, however rates remain high," the ONS said, referring to secondary school children, mostly teenagers.

"The trend was uncertain for all other age groups in the most recent week."

The region with the highest prevalence was the South West, with 2.9% estimated to be infected, echoing the findings of an Imperial College London survey released on Thursday.

The region was impacted by an error at a private lab that resulted in an estimated 43,000 people wrongly being given negative PCR test results.

Reuters 

November 05 2021 - 14:30

With fourth wave raging, Germany agrees booster shots for all

Germany is starting a very difficult period with regard to its Covid-19 pandemic situation with rising numbers of patients in intensive care, the country's health minister Jens Spahn said on Friday.

He said that he had agreed with regional health ministers that in future everyone should be offered a booster shot of a Covid-19 vaccine six months after receiving their previous injection.

The country has already had to relocate first patients from regions with overburdened hospitals, Spahn said, urging German citizens to get vaccinated and observe safety regulations."

Anyone who thinks they are young and invulnerable should talk to intensive care staff," he said. 

Reuters 

November 05 2021 - 12:20

Rugby-Farrell misses training after positive Covid test

England captain Owen Farrell has tested positive for Covid-19, the Rugby Football Union said on Friday, making him likely to miss Saturday's Twickenham test against Tonga.

The RFU said Farrell would miss Friday's training after returning a positive PCR test and would remain in isolation and will be lateral flow and PCR tested again on Friday. All other player and staff PCR test results received are negative.

Farrell had been due to start at flyhalf but his likely absence means a probable start for Marcus Smith, who was named among the replacements after missing parts of training this week with a leg injury.

Reuters

November 05 2021 - 12:01

Cut risk of Covid-19 death by 20 times with double jab

The risk of dying from Covid-19 is 20 times higher among people who are not vaccinated than those who had the double dose Pfizer vaccine, a new study by Discovery Health shows. 

Unvaccinated adults faced a 20 times higher risk of death and a five times higher risk of infection than vaccinated members, their records reveal. From May to September 1.2-million Discovery members got the jab.

People who had received both shots had 94% protection against death 14 days after the second dose, and 92% protection against hospital admission.

After the first dose, people’s risk of death was reduced by 79% and of hospital admission by 73%.

November 05 2021 - 11:38

Slovakia reports 6,805 new Covid-19 cases, new record - Health Ministry

Slovakia reported 6,805 new covid-19 cases for the past day, the Health Ministry said on Friday, a new daily record.

The central European country of 5.5 million has one of the lowest vaccinations rates in the European Union. The ministry said 69% of the new cases were in unvaccinated people. 

Reuters

November 05 2021 - 08:38

Are thermal scanners useful and can they detect Covid-19?

Since Covid-19 took over the world, the image of a thermal scanner pointed at a person’s head, wrist or neck has become part of our daily lives. Thermal scanners, also known as temperature guns, have been at the forefront of mass surveillance during the pandemic.

November 05 2021 - 08:14

Britain approves Merck's Covid-19 pill in world first

Britain's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) recommended  the drug, molnupiravir, for use in people with mild to moderate Covid-19 and at least one risk factor for developing severe illness, such as obesity, older age diabetes, and heart disease.

Reuters

November 05 2021 - 07:52

Voters pivot from Covid to economy: Reuters/Ipsos poll

Americans are increasingly turning away from the coronavirus and focusing their attention elsewhere, especially toward rising consumer prices and other economic areas where Democrats are less trusted, Reuters/Ipsos polling shows, a shift that could favor Republicans in next year's midterm elections.

November 05 2021 - 07:00

Moderna cuts Covid-19 vaccine sales forecast

Moderna cut its full-year sales forecast for its Covid-19 vaccine to between $15 billion and $18 billion from $20 billion estimated previously, as it struggles to ramp up production of its two-dose vaccine.

November 05 2021 - 06:30

Biden's Covid-19 vaccine mandate for private-sector workers to begin Jan 4

President Joe Biden will enforce a mandate that workers at U.S. companies with at least 100 employees be vaccinated against Covid-19 or be tested weekly starting Jan. 4.

November 05 2021 - 06:00

Stamp out Covid hotspots to prevent next peak, urges Africa CDC chief

Dr John Nkengasong warns that vaccination rates on much of the continent are still too slow ahead of the next wave