Here’s what you need to know about the coronavirus across the world, starting with SA.
The number of new confirmed Covid-19 cases has surged by 8,881 on June 9, the biggest jump in infections in about five months.
SA has also reported a positivity rate of 16.5% on tests conducted, according to the National Institute of Communicable Diseases. The country reported 12,271 cases on January 24, according to the World Health Organisation.
“The increased number of tests and cases, and increased positivity are all evidence of the predicted third surge in Covid-19 cases,” the agency said in a statement on Wednesday.
Gauteng accounted for 58% of the new cases. The provincial health department on Thursday said it was alarmed at the high infection rates, most being recorded in Tshwane and Johannesburg. The Northern Cape is already in its third wave, while the Western Cape also announced on Thursday it had officially entered its third wave.
While SA has the highest number of infections on the continent, it is struggling to accelerate its vaccination drive. The government is now inoculating people over 60 years of age, and while more than three million people in that age group have registered to get the shots, vaccine doses from Johnson & Johnson have been held up after ingredients were mixed up at a US plant.
So far just 1.52 million people of the 60 million population have received a vaccine dose. Of those about 480,000 are health workers who received the single dose J&J vaccine, while the rest are elderly people who got the first of two doses of the Pfizer vaccine.
SA has the capacity to vaccinate about 150,000 people a day, but is working at below that rate because of the hold up with J&J vaccines.
The Western Cape announced a site with the capacity to inject 4,000 people a day at a Cape Town convention centre, the first major vaccination venue of its kind in the province.
SA has had more than 57,000 deaths and 1.7 million confirmed infections. Still, that is suspected to be an undercount as the total number of excess deaths, a measure of the gap between the death rate and what would normally be expected, is now more than 166,000 for the period.
In the last week that was analysed there were almost 2,500 excess deaths, with just under 600 attributed to Covid-19. Scientists at the SA Medical Research Council say almost all excess deaths are attributable to the coronavirus.
Biden to donate 500 million Pfizer doses
US President Joe Biden plans to buy and donate 500 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine to more than 90 countries, while calling on the world’s democracies to do their part to help end the pandemic, the White House said.
The announcement of the vaccine donation, the largest ever by a single country, comes ahead of Biden’s meeting with leaders of the other G7 members - Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan - in England.
“The goal of today’s donation is to save lives and end the pandemic and will provide the foundation for additional actions to be announced in the coming days,” the White House said.
Indian state sharply raises death toll
An Indian state has raised its Covid-19 death toll sharply after the discovery of thousands of unreported cases, lending weight to suspicion that India’s overall death tally is significantly more than the official figure.
Indian hospitals ran out of beds and life-saving oxygen during a second wave in April and May, and people died in parking lots outside hospitals and at their homes.
Many of those deaths were not recorded in Covid-19 tallies, doctors and health experts say.
Two Australian states on alert
Two Australian states are on Covid-19 alert after an infected woman and her husband travelled from Victoria, the epicentre of the country’s latest outbreak, through the states of New South Wales and into Queensland, visiting dozens of sites en route.
Authorities in New South Wales and Queensland are rushing to trace close contacts and locate virus hotspots. The couple may face criminal charges for breaching border restrictions.
The 44-year-old woman tested positive once in Queensland, authorities said, and her husband has since tested positive.
Abu Dhabi restricts many public areas to those free of Covid
Abu Dhabi will restrict access to malls, restaurants, cafes and other public places from June 15 to those who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 or recently tested negative.
The new rules were announced as the United Arab Emirates has seen daily cases rise over the past three weeks. The UAE recorded 2,179 new infections on Wednesday, up from 1,229 on May 17.
The restrictions will also apply to gyms, hotels and their facilities, public parks, beaches, swimming pools, entertainment centres, cinemas and museums.
Danes ditch masks
Denmark will ditch the use of masks and allow 9,000 more fans to attend European Championship soccer matches in Copenhagen, its government said on Thursday, under a deal to ease lockdown rules.
The Nordic country has avoided a third wave with broad lockdown measures introduced in late December and has gradually reopened as infection rates have dropped.
With the new deal, 25,000 fans will be allowed to attend European Championship matches taking place in Copenhagen, up from about 16,000 fans.
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