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"We are planning for a worst case scenario," Western Cape health department head Dr Keith Cloete has said, referring to a third wave of Covid-19 infections.
The president also stressed the importance of keeping the economy open after months of stifling movement restrictions.
He urged citizens not to drop their guard and continue adhering to the health rules, such as wearing face masks and respecting curfew times.
South Africa has recorded just over 800,000 coronavirus infections - more than a third of the cases reported across the African continent - and over 20,000 deaths.
AFP
The World Bank has today announced that its Group Board of Executive Directors has approved a $100 million grant from the International Development Association (IDA), to support the government of Sierra Leone in promoting sustainable and inclusive growth, and building economic resilience.
Gayle Martin, World Bank Country Manager for Sierra Leone (Photo), said: “This financing will help address fiscal challenges and improve overall governance to build resilience and enhance the delivery of services to the people amidst this global COVID-19 pandemic.
With the spread of the virus in Sierra Leone and the effects of the global pandemic, the economy is expected to contract by between 2.3 and 3.1 percent in 2020, and growth could be 1.4 to 2.0 percentage points lower than forecast for the medium term, the World Bank says .
A key challenge for the Government is to diversify the economy to raise real per capita growth above the population growth of 2.1 percent in order to ensure that the gains in reducing poverty and inequality are sustained, the World Bank warns.
As the World Bank warns the government today, diversifying the economy is the only option for the government if it is to promote economic growth, employment and private sector led wealth creation.
Tunis/Tunisia — President Kais Saied said on Monday in a phone conversation with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyib Erdogan that the solution to get out of the crisis in Libya can only be within the framework of international legitimacy, peaceful and interlibyan.
\"Tunisia is the most affected country by the Libyan crisis and the Tunisians are concerned by the situation in this neighbour country,\" Saied pointed out, recalling that peoples of both countries have always been united.
The phone call also turned on the Palestinian crisis, Saied pointed to the need for stronger stands against the crimes committed on the Palestinian territories.
Besides, the two presidents voiced hope that the Tunisian and Turkish peoples, as well as all the humanity succeed to overcome the COVID-19 crisis and its impacts.
On this occasion, Saied thanked Turkey for the recently sent aid to Tunisia as part of efforts to combat the spread of the virus, a Presidency of the Republic press release reads.
BY PHYLLIS MBANJE A TOP executive in the Health and Child Care ministry yesterday warned that a third wave of COVID-19 would hit the country soon if people are not urgently vaccinated against the virus. As of yesterday morning, Zimbabwe had recorded 34 171 cumulative cases and 1 288 deaths, with a huge surge in both infections and deaths recorded in January following a lax in adherence to lockdown regulations during the festive season. In extending the national lockdown on January 28, Vice-President and Health minister Constantino Chiwenga said: “Cumulative cases as at January 1, 2021 were 14 084, and deaths were 369. As at January 28, 2021, cumulative cases had reached 32 646, with deaths breaching the thousand mark to give us 1 160. The situation is clearly worrisome.” Portia Manangazira, the director of epidemiology and disease control in the ministry, said Zimbabwe was at a high risk of being hit by a third wave if government delays rollout of the vaccine. “If nothing significant is done, we will get a third wave,” she said. Speaking during a COVID-19 vaccines informational webinar, Manangazira said it required more than the current measures such as social distancing and good hygiene to tame the killer virus. “We need to bring up the population immunity through vaccination of a critical amount of the population. If we vaccinate say 80%, it means the remaining 20% is protected,” she said. Her sentiments came at a time there was international debate on the efficacy of the current COVID-19 vaccination regime, with pessimists doubting the efficiency of the drugs on trial. On the availability of the COVID-19 vaccines, Manangazira said Zimbabwe would initially receive doses from the Covax Facility. “Under this facility, it is structured in such a way that the first 3% will be healthcare workers and then about 20% will be the vulnerable. The remaining will get it according to a prioritised strategy,” she said. She said the African Union facility which was put together by philanthropists would take over from the 20%. “The government has also put in place resources (US$100 million) and will approach some manufacturers (Russia and China) of COVID-19.” She added that under the Chinese facility, Zimbabwe would be given 200 000 doses on condition that the country buys its vaccines from China. “It is unlikely we will get a single type of vaccine, but maybe two or three,” she said. Addressing concerns on likely side-effects of the COVID-19 vaccines, Manangazira said people were likely to react differently. “Some people, obviously, overreact to any vaccines. But we will have a programme in place to monitor adverse reactions,” she said, adding that there would be rigorous training of health workers basing on what has already been experienced elsewhere. Consultant paediatrician from the Health ministry, Nhamo Gonah, who is also the chairperson of the National Technical Advisory Committee (Nitac) said the key was the efficacy and safety of the vaccine. Nitac was set up to provide evidence-based advice to the ministry. Follow Phy
Read more: US Embassy COVID-19 Information
June 12: Cases reach 1,321, Nakonde still leading
\tThe case load in the country reached 1,321 as of Friday (June 12) with 28 new cases out of 1,059 tests.
May 27: Health Minister infected, cases pass 1,000 mark
\tLocal media portals have reported that Zambia’s health minister has tested positive for COVID-19.
Zambia virus stats as of May 24, 2020 at 13:00 GMT
Confirmed cases = 920
Deaths = 7
Recoveries = 336
Active cases = 577
May 20: Nakonde records more new cases
\tNakonde, the border town with Tanzania continues to record more cases of the virus.
May 14 = 654 cases (208 new cases), 7 deaths, 124 recoveries
\t\tMay 13 = 446 cases (5 new cases), 7 deaths, 117 recoveries
\t\tMay 12 = 441 cases (174 new cases), 7 deaths, 117 recoveries
\t\tMay 11 = 267 cases (0 new cases), 7 deaths, 117 recoveries
\t\tMay 10 = 267 cases, 7 deaths, 117 recoveries
\t
\tThe town of Nakonde was declared a hot spot by the Ministry of Health on May 10 leading to the closure of the frontier with Tanzania.
On Saturday (May 9) 76 new cases were reported in Nakonde, the border town in question.
[Nation] More than 10 clubs in the Coast have been shut down for flouting the Ministry of Health guidelines that seek to combat the spread of Covid-19.
Sierra Leone will temporarily reopen schools next month to allow registered students to sit for the public examinations, the government announced on Thursday.
A statement issued by the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MoBSSE) set the reopening date for July 1.
Three public examinations will be conducted within the period: the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSEC), the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and National Primary School Examinations (NPSE).
While WASSCE students transition to college and university, BECE students transition to Senior Secondary level, and the NPSE students to the BECE level.
Sierra Leone shut down schools on March 31, after the country recorded its first case of Covid-19.
The World Bank Group’s Board of Executive Directors discussed a new Country Partnership Framework for Sierra Leone for 2021-2026, which prioritizes investments in human capital, job creation, economic diversification and building a resilient health system.
Prior to the COVID-19 crisis, Sierra Leone’s economy grew by 5.1 percent in 2019 driven mainly by robust activities in agriculture and services.
With the spread of the virus in Sierra Leone and the effects of the global pandemic, the economy is estimated to contract by between 2.3 and 3.1 percent in 2020 and growth could be 1.4 to 2.0 percentage points lower than forecast for the medium term.
“The new strategy is about people and jobs, and how to support Sierra Leone in advancing economic recovery and poverty reduction, which is critical in the face of the human and economic impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic,” said Gayle Martin, World Bank Country Manager for Sierra Leone.
Guided by the priorities of the government’s Medium-Term National Development Plan, the World Bank Group’s three areas of support are to:
“IFC focuses on promoting reforms that boost competitiveness, spur more inclusive growth and create better quality jobs,” said Babacar Faye, IFC Resident Representative for Sierra Leone.
LIVE | All the latest coronavirus and lockdown updates
By the time the virus hit Africa, where cases have risen relatively slowly, images of overwhelmed hospitals and stories of health workers strapped for protective gear had been streaming in for weeks.
Mehul Shah from Ultra Red Technologies, a 3D printing company in Nairobi, said he and his partner Neeval Shah quickly realised they could be \"first responders\" in producing locally-made equipment.
Mehul Shah, the director of Ultra Red Technologies, works on ear protectors for a 3D printed face shield, to be used for protection of the entire face area from splashes, sprays and spatter of bodily fluids as a preventive measure against the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus.
Another busy area of innovation has been the production of ventilators, which have been in short supply even in rich countries as Covid-19 patients needing oxygen have swamped hospitals.
In Kenya, engineering students in collaboration with the medical department at the Kenyatta University, produced a low-cost ventilator at a tenth of the price of an imported machine - estimated at $10 000.
With the European Union unveiling a massive recovery plan to step up its emergence from the crisis, the US figure was a sobering reminder of the devastation being wreaked around the globe by a virus that only emerged late last year.
Nevertheless, most US states moved toward reopening restaurants and businesses, cheered on by President Donald Trump, who is eager to see the economic pain of the crisis mitigated as he seeks re-election.
The United States remains the hardest-hit nation, with President Donald Trump weathering heavy criticism for his handling of the crisis -- and for not wearing a mask in public despite his administration's recommendations.
Trump's principal preoccupation has been for a quick turnaround of the badly battered US economy, and he has pressured local and state leaders to ease lockdowns.
Even as many economies emerge from the drastic lockdowns, a joint study by Save the Children and UNICEF warned Wednesday that the pandemic could push as many as 86 million more children into poverty by the end of 2020.
1. ‘Masks aren’t effective in preventing the spread of the virus’ Levounis says it’s true that masks won’t protect you 100 percent. However, they do give you some protection and,
Major African stats: May 31 at 7:00 GMT:
\t\tConfirmed cases = 141,599
\t\tNumber of deaths = 4,070
\t\tRecoveries = 59,191
\t\tActive cases = 78,338
SUGGESTED READING: rolling coverage of the coronavirus outbreak in Africa I
\t\tLesotho confirms index case
\t\tComoros records first case
\t\tUS support for Kenya, South Africa; Africa’s equipment crunch
\t\tAfrica case increase worries experts
May 31: China to support Africa with virus logistics
\tChina will give Africa 30 million test kits per month, as well as 10 000 ventilators and 80 million masks, South African president Cyril Ramaphosa disclosed on Sunday during a virtual meeting with top editors in the country.
Back in South Africa, Ramaphosa who is the chairperson of the African Union also defended the decision to reopen the economy of Africa’s most industrialized nation despite being the most impacted and the having carried out the most tests.
The South African president is also current chairperson of the African Union, AU; he is leading Africa’s most impacted country and the continent’s effort to get international support to fight the pandemic.
Africa dangerously behind in global race for virus gear
\tAs Africa braces for a surge in coronavirus cases, its countries are dangerously behind in the global race for scarce medical equipment.
AP
April 23: Africa’s 43% jump in virus cases in 1 week worries experts
\tAfrica registered a 43% jump in reported COVID-19 cases in the last week, highlighting a warning from the World Health Organization that the continent of 1.3 billion could become the next epicenter of the global outbreak.
Aside from any theoretical benefits that wearing a mask might have, we know it’s an important part of stemming the spread of COVID-19. Unfortunately, many Americans have been resistant to complying. Healthline asked Levounis and Willard to respond to some common reasons given for not wearing a mask. 1. ‘Masks aren’t effective in preventing the spread
Spains large-scale study on the coronavirus indicates just 5% of its population has developed antibodies, strengthening evidence that a so-called herd immunity to Covid-19 is unachievable, the medical journal the Lancet reported on Monday. The findings show that 95% of Spains population remains susceptible to the virus. Herd immunity is achieved when enough of a population has become infected with []
[Vanguard] As COVID-19 cases continue to rise across the country, BUA has donated three ambulances and 100,000 face masks to Yobe State government as part of its social support and humanitarian commitment to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
Major African stats: May 9 as of 7:00 GMT:
\t\tConfirmed cases = 57,844
\t\tNumber of deaths = 2,154
\t\tRecoveries = 19,133
\t\tInfected countries = 53
\t\tVirus-free countries = 1 (Lesotho)
SUGGESTED READING: rolling coverage of the coronavirus outbreak in Africa II
\t\tAfrica could risk case, death explosion – WHO warns
Africa risks explosion of cases, deaths
\tThe coronavirus could “smolder” in Africa for years and take a high death toll across the continent, the World Health Organization has warned.
More than 52,000 confirmed infections and 2,074 virus-related deaths have been reported by African countries, according to figures released Friday (May 8) by the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
\tSome major developments to read about below are as follows:
\t\tMauritania virus-free
\t\tTanzania MP infected
\t\tZimbabwe quarantines UK returnees
\t\tMadagascar announces COVID-19 treatment
\t\tAfrica will suffer Trump’s WHO move
\t\tBurundi voters locked out
\t\tTanzania’s three-days of prayer
\t\tMalawi imposes lockdown as president’s court hearing starts
\t\tUganda speaker unveils COVID-19 combating spray
\t\tUS joins Africa in fight against Chinese racism
\t\tAU appoints four-member international liaison team
\t\tTwo prominent deaths
\t\tAU protests Chinese mistreatment of Africans
President Museveni has reiterated the need for Ugandans to police themselves in a bid to avoid the spread of coronavirus.
Obulwade tebulina magulu ) the virus does not move on its own) , but is transported (by people),\" Mr Museveni added on Thursday while addressing MPs during budget reading.
Mr Museveni further noted that had it not been the emergencies government has faced in the last six months, especially because of Covid-19, the rate of economic growth would have been at least six percent per annum.
On security which was allocated about Shs4.4 trillion of the total national Budget of Shs45 trillion for the financial year 2020/2021, Mr Museveni said Uganda is stable.
About the bourgeoning corruption in the country, Mr Museveni reiterated that he has started cleaning government.
