COVID-19 WRAP | SA records 262 Covid-19 cases in 24 hours

November 14 2021 - 20:57

Israel announces 5-11 year-olds now eligible for Covid-19 vaccination

Israel said on Sunday that children aged 5 to 11 would now be eligible for vaccination against Covid-19.

The decision, announced by he Health Ministry, followed approval by an expert panel last week, after the US Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use of Pfizer's and BioNTech's vaccine for the age group at a 10-microgram dose.

-Reuters

November 14 2021 - 20:48

SA records 262 Covid-19 cases in 24 hours

SA recorded 262 new confirmed Covid-19 cases in 24 hours, bringing the cumulative number of cases in the country since the beginning of the pandemic to 2,925,939.

Eight daily deaths were also recorded, with the national death toll of Covid-19 related deaths coming to 89,484.

The number of vaccines administered since the start of the vaccine rollout is 23,950,956 with 2,819,688 recoveries.

November 14 2021 - 19:28

Bahrain authorises AstraZeneca's anti-Covid drug for emergency use

Bahrain has approved the emergency use of AstraZeneca's anti-Covid drug Evusheld, the state news agency reported on Sunday.

Bahrain has become the first country to authorise the drug, which will be limited to adults who suffer from immunodeficiency or who are taking immunosuppressants, as well as individuals with occupations that put them at risk of transmission, the news agency said.

-Reuters

November 14 2021 - 18:48

Italy reports 36 coronavirus deaths on Sunday, 7,569 new cases

Italy reported 36 coronavirus-related deaths on Sunday against 53 the day before, the health ministry said, while the daily tally of new infections fell to 7,569 from 8,544.

Italy has registered 132,775 deaths linked to Covid-19 since its outbreak emerged in February last year, the second-highest toll in Europe after Britain and the ninth-highest in the world.

The country has reported 4.9 million cases to date.Patients in hospital with Covid-19 - not including those in intensive care - stood at 3,647 on Sunday, up from 3,597 a day earlier.

-Reuters

November 14 2021 - 14:19

Austria orders non-vaccinated people into Covid-19 lockdown

Austria is placing millions of people not fully vaccinated against the coronavirus on lockdown as of Monday to deal with a surge in infections to record levels, Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg said on Sunday.

"We must raise the vaccination rate. It is shamefully low," Schallenberg told a news conference announcing the new measure after a video call with the governors of Austria's nine provinces.

Roughly 65% of the population is fully vaccinated against Covid-19, one of the lowest rates in western Europe.

-Reuters

November 14 2021 - 13:32

Australia vaccine-mandate protesters compare state govt to Nazis - media

Several thousand people rallied in Melbourne against new vaccination mandates on Saturday, with a few comparing the state government to Nazis and calling for violence against politicians, local media said.

In Australia, where 83% of people aged 16 and above have been fully inoculated against the coronavirus, nationwide vaccinations are voluntary. But states and territories have mandated vaccinations for many occupations and barred the unvaccinated from activities such as dining out and concerts.

The Melbourne demonstration against the vaccination mandate that came into effect on Saturday - requiring construction workers in Victoria state to be fully inoculated - was peaceful, with no immediate reports of unruly behaviour or arrests.

November 14 2021 - 13:31

Top arts council officials charged: Covid-19 relief forensic report unveiled

While no funds are missing from the artists' Covid-19 relief fund, there was a lack of oversight resulting in an over-commitment of R428m — double the available funds — and a conflict of interest among some former members of the National Arts Council.

This is contained in a forensic report on the implementation of the Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme (PESP) by the council.

Artists have staged several protests demanding to know the outcome of the forensic investigation.

November 14 2021 - 05:33

Last day for health department to reach target of vaccinating half a million people as Vooma weekend ends