Coronavirus Africa news summary: cases and deaths - 24 May
Coronavirus live Africa: latest Covid-19 news - 24 May
Africa Covid-19 update: 02:00 WAT on Sunday 25 May (03:00 CEST)
According to the latest figures published by Johns Hopkins University, 5,405,029 cases have been detected worldwide, with 344,997 deaths and 2,168,408 people now recovered.
Nigeria: 7,839 cases / 226 deaths
South Africa: 22,583 cases / 429 deaths
Ghana: 6,683 cases / 32 deaths
Uganda: 198 cases / 0 deaths (no data currently available)
Aubameyang considering own esports team after virtual F1 debut
Arsenal's top-scoring Gabon striker and captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who raced for McLaren in Sunday's virtual Monaco Formula One Grand Prix, is considering setting up his own esports team. The Gabonese is a keen video gamer, and has been getting in plenty of practice during the COVID-19 lockdown with the Premier League out of action.
He is also a lover of fast and expensive cars, with a couple of Lamborghinis and an exclusive pearl-wrapped Ferrari LaFerrari in his garage. 'I play FIFA of course, but this year a lot of Fortnite and I definitely need to play Warzone: Call of Duty,' he said in a video conversation with McLaren's regular F1 race driver Lando Norris ahead of Sunday's race.
'I’m actually thinking about launching an esports team and Rocket League is definitely a game that I’d need to have a team for,' he said. Real Madrid's Welsh winger Gareth Bale started his own esports team this year while Arsenal team mate Mesut Ozil launched one in 2018. Aubameyang said that was something he'd like to follow. 'Something is cooking,' he said. Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero are among other soccer players to have taken part in Formula One's virtual series.
Lagos enlists 600 patients for chloroquine clinical trials
Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, confirmed that 600 patients have been enlisted for chloroquine clinical trials in the Nigerian State.
Omotoso said, “In summary, we will be looking at about 600 patients. The trial will go on till we recruit the required number. There will be an independent Data and Safety Board. The board can advise that study be discontinued if the statistical evidence of the usefulness of a drug is overwhelming and in which case it becomes unethical to withhold it from other groups.”
Here are the latest figures from Sierra Leone:
Total number of deaths - 40
Active new cases - 100
Active cases at Isolation Centres - 440
Cumulative recoveries - 241
Number currently in quarantine - 1,939
Number discharged from quarantine - 3,458
In pictures: Muslims perform Eid prayer after the lockdown following the global outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Nasarawa, Nigeria May 24, 2020. REUTERS/Afolabi Sotunde
South African president says lockdown to ease from 1June
South Africa will further ease coronavirus lockdown restrictions from 1 June, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Sunday, allowing large swathes of the economy to return to full capacity.
"Cabinet has determined that the alert level for the whole country should be lowered from level four to level three," he said in an address broadcast on television, describing the move as a significant shift in approach to the pandemic.
Operations ceased at world's biggest gold mine after 164 cases of coronavirus confirmed at the site. South Africa has so far reported over 21,000 cases and 407 deaths...
Fifty-three workers at AngloGold Ashanti mine in S.Africa have coronavirus
(Reuters) Underground production at AngloGold Ashanti's Mponeng mine in South Africa will remain closed until further notice after 53 employees tested positive for the coronavirus, a provincial health department said in a statement on Sunday.
The mine, the deepest in the world, restarted operations on April 22 after closing entirely during a nationwide lockdown, and was operating at 50% capacity.
The department of health in Gauteng, the province where the mine is located, said in statement posted on Twitter that 53 employees at the mine had so far tested positive for the virus, and that a further 104 tests were still being processed.
SA schools to remain shut until September
The Educators Union of South Africa has recommended schools remain closed until September to help stop the spread of coronavirus in the country.
GAVI: first signs if a Covid-19 vaccine works possible in autumn
GAVI: first signs if a Covid-19 vaccine works possible in autumn
First indications of the effectiveness of a potential vaccine against coronavirus may be available in the autumn, the head of the GAVI stated, forecasting a long road from there to broad availability.
Malawi daily figures released
Just one new case of coronavirus has been confirmed in the nation for the past 24 hours. In total four people have died as a result of the Covid-19 virus in the nation.
E-Commerce rise in Africa during pandemic
African e-commerce sites getting badly needed boost during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Cristiano, LeBron, Rafa Nadal and Tiger Woods star in rousing Nike 'comeback' ad.
Oregon based sportswear giant Nike have delivered another powerful video clip featuring some of the greats of sport in their latest advertisement.
Simple tips from Africa CDC
Simple tips on what we all can do in a bid to prevent the Covid-19 virus from spreading.
Zambia's information minister tests positive for coronavirus
Zambia’s information minister Dora Siliya said on Saturday she had tested positive for the coronavirus but was asymptomatic and had gone into self-isolation.
South Africa (Sunday Times)
The headlines on today's Sunday Times focuses on an ease of alcohol sales restrictions as-well as the front cover of the Sunday paper featuring a picture of childresn celebrating the end of Ramadan.
Africa's Muslims celebrate Eid in the shadow of COVID-19
Bakari Diakité normally celebrates the end of Ramadan by visiting the local mosque and hosting a large family gathering. This year, with COVID-19 still spreading in Ivory Coast's commercial capital Abidjan, he has scaled back festivities.
Instead of heading to the mosque this morning, he prayed on a terrace at home with the few family members he lives with.
Their lunch of rice and couscous with bissap juice was more modest than the plates of meats they would normally enjoy with a group of some 30 family and friends.
"Usually, family members come from all the neighbourhoods to celebrate. This year, everyone will stay at home to avoid any risk of contagion," said Diakité, 66, who is unable to be with three of his five children. "It's a very quiet party compared to other years."
This weekend, millions across Africa are celebrating a slightly different Eid al-Fitr, the festival marking the end to the Muslim month of fasting where people typically gather after a period of reflection. Eid al-Fitr begins with the sighting of the crescent moon - countries where it was visible on Friday night celebrate on Saturday, others wait until Sunday.
The Nation (Nigeria) Sunday headlines
The Covid-19 situation in the West African nation still featuring heavily on Sunday's The Nation .
South Africa concern over Eid
A powerful Muslim body in South Africa has cautioned the community members about Eid: "Eid can potentially become a super-spreading event, which results in many more people dying, especially if people disobey lockdown regulations and start visiting family (as) it will lose its effect if people start visiting each other at home."
Coronavirus live Africa updates: welcome
Hello and welcome to our live, Africa-focused coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has now registered over five million cases worldwide.
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