COVID-19 WRAP | Mkhize to launch Covid-19 Electronic Vaccination Data System for the elderly

April 15 2021 - 22:51

Nearly 1,400 new Covid-19 cases and 73 deaths recorded in 24 hours: Mkhize

There were 1,372 new Covid-19 cases and 73 deaths recorded across SA in the past 24 hours, health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize said on Thursday.

This means there have been 1,562,931 cases and 53,571 fatalities recorded since the outbreak of the coronavirus in March last year.

The new infections came from 43,550 tests, at a positivity rate of 3.15%.

April 15 2021 - 18:20

France's COVID-19 death toll breaches the 100,000 casualty mark

France's COVID-19 death toll rose on Thursday to reach more than 100,000 casualties, according to the latest hospital figures from the health ministry, marking a bleak milestone for President Emmanuel Macron's government.

Data from the health ministry's GEODES website said French hospitals registered another 300 COVID-19 deaths in the last 24 hours, which - when added to the April 14 overall death figure - pushed the overall tally to more than 100,000 deaths.

France has the world's eighth-highest COVID death toll.

The United States is the worst-hit country in terms of deaths, with more than 564,000 casualties, followed by Brazil, Mexico and India.

-REUTERS

April 15 2021 - 17:52

Global officials urge rich countries to donate excess Covid-19 vaccine doses, money

Top UN, financial and vaccine officials on Thursday urged rich countries to donate excess Covid-19 vaccine doses to an international effort to supply low and middle income countries in a bid to get the global economy back on track.

At a virtual event by the Gavi Vaccine Alliance to boost support for the COVAX equitable vaccine sharing initiative, the officials also appealed for another $2 billion by June for the program, which is aiming to buy up to 1.8 billion doses in 2021. So far, COVAX has shipped more than 38 million vaccine doses to 111 countries.

April 15 2021 - 16:45

Delays in R350 Covid-19 grant payment due to 'transitioning' glitch: Sassa

The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) says there will be a delay in the R350 Covid-19 grant payment in March and April “due to the transition in government financial years”.

The agency's CEO Totsie Memela has apologised to millions of South Africans who will be affected, many of whom depend heavily on the grant.

“Sassa would like to apologise for this break in the payments and would like to reassure all deserving applicants for the relief grant who have been affected that payments will be made as soon as the administrative processes have been completed,” said Memela.

April 15 2021 - 14:40

Public called on to urgently comment on draft regulations for Covid-19 fund

The national department of health is urgently calling for the public to comment on draft regulations for the establishment of the no-fault compensation (NFC) fund that must be set up to protect citizens who will be vaccinated against Covid-19.

South Africans have until April 19 to submit suggestions and contributions.

TimesLIVE reported on Wednesday that the national coronavirus command council (NCCC) had approved a recommendation to establish the fund.

April 15 2021 - 13:40

UK scientists find higher risk of brain clots from Covid-19 compared with vaccines

There is a much higher risk of brain blood clots from Covid-19 infection than there is from vaccines against the disease, British researchers said on Thursday, after the rollout of inoculations was disrupted by reports of rare clots.

AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson have both seen very rare reports of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) linked to their vaccines.

On Wednesday, the United States paused vaccinations using J&J's shot while a link with clots was investigated, with Denmark ditching AstraZeneca's shot over the issue.

British and European regulators have stressed that the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks.

Reuters

April 15 2021 - 11:11

Russia reports 8,944 new Covid-19 cases, 398 deaths

Russia reported 8,944 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday, including 2,455 in Moscow, taking the official national tally to 4,675,153.

The government coronavirus task force said 398 people had died in the past 24 hours, pushing its death toll to 104,398.The federal statistics agency has kept a separate count and has reported a much higher toll of more than 225,000 from April 2020 to February.

Reuters

April 15 2021 - 10:23

Denmark ditches AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine

Denmark became the first country to stop using AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine altogether over a potential link to a rare but serious form of blood clot.  

April 15 2021 - 08:02

Empty middle airplane seat could cut coronavirus exposure by up to 57% - CDC

A vacant middle airplane seat could cut the risk of exposure to coronavirus by 23% to 57% compared with a full flight, according to a study on physical distancing onboard released on Wednesday.

Researchers from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Kansas State University based their findings on laboratory modeling of exposure to SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes Covid-19, on single-aisle and twin-aisle aircraft in November 2020.

The research is backed by results of a separate investigation of coronavirus transmission on a 10-hour international flight in March 2020, in which 16 people were infected, they said. That study found 75% of infected passengers were seated within two rows of a symptomatic passenger.

US airlines blocked middle seats early in the pandemic but have gradually opened them up, citing studies showing low transmission risk if everyone onboard wears a mask. Delta Air Lines is lifting its seating block beginning May 1. 

Reuters

April 15 2021 - 07:40

Australian doctors urge government to rethink mass vaccination hubs

Australian authorities should add more clinics to speed up the country's struggling Covid-19 vaccine rollout, its main medical association said on Thursday, dismissing a government plan to create mass inoculation hubs as unworkable in the near term.

Australian Medical Association (AMA) President Omar Khorshid said establishing mass centres would pose "huge logistical challenges", including the difficulty of finding enough medical staff to manage the facilities.

"You need to find a workforce from somewhere, and we are not aware of large numbers of registered nurses and doctors who are available to manage these centres," Khorshid told ABC Radio.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Wednesday he would discuss with state and territory leaders setting up mass centres to vaccinate people above the age of 50 from as early as June.

Morrison has been under pressure to put the country's vaccination programme back on track after problems with the rollout, caused in part by patchy international vaccine supplies and changing medical advice, led to significant delays.

Reuters

April 15 2021 - 07:00

Tokyo Olympics might yet be cancelled due to Covid-19 - Japanese official

A senior Japanese ruling party official said cancelling this year's Olympics in Tokyo remains an option if the coronavirus crisis becomes too dire, as a fourth wave of infections surges less than 100 days from the planned start of the Games.

"If it seems impossible to do it any more, then we have to stop, decisively," Toshihiro Nikai, secretary general of the Liberal Democratic Party, said in comments to broadcaster TBS.Cancellation is "of course" an option, Nikai said.

"If the Olympics were to spread infection, then what are the Olympics for?" he added.

A key backer of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, party heavyweight Nikai is known for his frank comments, which come as many other ruling party lawmakers have avoided discussing the hot button issue of a possible cancellation.

The world's biggest sporting event has already been delayed by a year and is being held without international spectators.

Japan is grappling with rising coronavirus infections, with numbers trending higher in Tokyo after the government ended a state of emergency, and Osaka suffering a record number of cases.

The government is pushing ahead with preparations incorporating social distancing measures and other restrictions for the Games set to begin on July 23, with a scaled back torch relay underway.

Reuters

April 15 2021 - 06:45

India reports more than 200,000 new Covid-19 cases for first time

India reported a record 200,739 Covid-19 cases over the last 24 hours, according to data issued by the health ministry on Thursday.

Deaths stood at 1,038, taking the total to 173,123, the data showed.

The country's total case load reached 14.1 million, just behind the United States that leads the global tally with 31.4 million cases.

Reuters

April 15 2021 - 06:30

Brazil's variant mutating, may be more dangerous

Brazil's P1 coronavirus variant, behind a deadly Covid-19 surge in the Latin American country that has raised international alarm, is mutating in ways that could make it better able to evade antibodies, according to scientists studying the virus.

April 15 2021 - 06:00

Run a mile, not a risk: physical activity trims chances of severe Covid-19

Exercise may be ‘the single most important action’ one can take to prevent a severe case of the virus, say researchers

April 15 2021 - 06:00

‘Disappointing’, ‘poorly thought through’: experts slate SA vax pause

Of the 6,8 million people vaccinated with J&J in the US, only six developed blood clots, with none reported in SA so far