By Associated Press JOHANNESBURG: South Africa has likely entered a new wave of COVID-19 earlier than expected as new infections and hospitalizations have risen rapidly over the past two weeks, the country’s health minister said on Friday. The increase in new cases has been dominated by the BA.4 and BA.5 lineages of the omicron variant which
By Associated Press JOHANNESBURG: South Africa is seeing a rapid rise in COVID-19 cases driven by yet another version of the coronavirus, health experts say. Cases had been dropping in the country since February. But a new omicron subvariant that scientists call BA.4 began pushing up cases last week and they have risen rapidly since,
By Agencies Africa is seeing an uptick in Covid-19 cases largely driven by a doubling in cases reported in South Africa, the World Health Organization has said. “This week new Covid-19 cases and deaths on the continent increased for the first time after a decline of more than two months for cases and one month
By Mandipa Masenyama MEDICAL aid societies from the Southern Africa region coalescing under the Board of Health Funders (BHF) umbrella, are set to converge in Cape Town- South Africa next month to deliberate on ways to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic and build stronger health systems. Dubbed leading change in strengthening the health ecosystem, the conference
By BBC Ghana has removed the mandatory requirement for face masks to be worn in public. President Nana Akufo-Addo announced the decision on Sunday, citing a sustained drop in Covid infections in Ghana and neighbouring countries. The president also scrapped the requirement for negative PCR tests for fully vaccinated travellers arriving in the country through
By Standard.co.uk HARARE: He’s an artist not a doctor, but when the pandemic hit, Zimbabwean stone sculptor David Ngwerume immediately knew he had a role to play in preventing its spread. “When Covid-19 struck the world, I found myself having a calling,” the 41-year-old says. “I was compelled – I had a duty to play my part in
By Associated Press JOHANNESBURG: Africa is moving to the “control phase” of the COVID-19 pandemic and increased vaccination rates will be crucial in helping the continent live with the disease, the World Health Organization’s Africa director Matshidiso Moeti said Thursday. “Although COVID-19 will be with us for the long term, there is light at the
By Reuters IVORY Coast soccer fans watching the Africa Cup of Nations are being greeted at dedicated fan zones with rapid tests, masks and COVID-19 vaccines, an initiative of the health ministry to spur vaccination. Soccer is the West African country’s favourite sport and thousands of fans have flocked to the “Cup of Nations villages”
Reuters AFRICA’S top public health official said on Thursday that severe lockdowns were no longer the best way to contain Covid-19, praising SA for adopting that approach when responding to its latest infection wave driven by the Omicron variant. “We are very encouraged with what we saw in SA during this period where they look
Reuters BOTSWANA’S President Mokgweetsi Masisi is in mandatory self-isolation after testing positive for Covid-19 in routine testing, a government spokesperson said Monday. “The president does not have any symptoms and will continue to receive close medical monitoring by his doctors,” John-Thomas Dipowe, acting permanent secretary for government communications, said in a statement. Vice President Slumber
By Staff Reporter SOUTH Africa’s Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe has tested positive for Covid-19. According to a statement issued by Minister in the Presidency Modli Gungubele, Mantashe tested positive Saturday after experiencing mild symptoms. “Minister Mantashe is in good spirits and he is currently in self-isolation,” reads the statement. The government has urged South Africans
AP THE Botswana scientist who may well have discovered the omicron variant of the coronavirus says he has been on a roller-coaster of emotions, with the pride of accomplishment followed by dismay over the travel bans immediately slapped on southern African countries. “Is that how you reward science? By blacklisting countries?” Sikhulile Moyo, a virologist
BBC Britain is halting all flights from South Africa and five other countries in the region in response to the discovery of a highly transmissible new coronavirus variant. From midday GMT on Friday, direct flights from South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and Eswatini will be suspended until further notice. Announcing the restrictions, the British
The Mirror UK A NEW Covid-19 variant with an “extremely high number” of mutations is believed to be the most evolved strain of the virus and could escape existing vaccines, scientists have warned. The B.1.1.529 variant, an offshoot of an older variant called B.1.1, has 32 spike mutations in the spike protein and has been
BBC KENYANS will be barred from bars, restaurants, and public transport from 21 December if they are not fully vaccinated against Covid-19, Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe says. The measures are aimed at increasing the rate of vaccinations ahead of the festive season. Less than 10% of the population is currently vaccinated. Mr. Kagwe raised concern
The Guardian COVID-19 is now a pandemic of poor nations, a leading global expert has told a cross-party group of MPs, adding that governments that are attempting to vaccinate their way out of the pandemic are taking a huge risk. Dr David Nabarro, the World Health Organisation’s special envoy on Covid, told the all-party group on
Aljazeera UGANDAN President Yoweri Museveni has said schools, shut since March 2020 owing to the coronavirus pandemic, will reopen early next year regardless of currently low vaccination uptake. “Be informed that the schools will be opened in January and the rest of the economy will be opened in the same month,” Museveni said on Thursday.
AFP AS A Covid-19 surge overwhelmed Uganda earlier this year, Livingstone Musaala, who had to quit his teaching job after schools closed, turned to coffin-making to pay the bills and help others. But few welcomed his initiative at first. Family members criticised him for capitalising on a pandemic-fuelled boom in his densely-populated hometown of Bugobi, 140km
The Guardian THE last message Mary Namitala received from the private school in which she taught was in March last year, the day all schools in Uganda were ordered close due to Covid-19. The message read: “No more payments until when schools open.” “My husband and I decided to leave our rented house in town and shifted
BBC Africa THE head of Africa’s health agency has warned that the UK’s policy of not accepting Covid-19 vaccine certificates from the continent could increase vaccine hesitancy. John Nkegasong said the UK’s stance was confusing and had far-reaching implications for vaccination campaigns. He warned that some people would question why they should get a jab
