Coronavirus live updates: Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, Ghana... cases, deaths and news, summary 29 May

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DJs go digital

“Now we have to start thinking if this will become our reality,” as entertainment moves online.

Testing limitations seen as cases rise

Manufacturing an opinion

'In the new post-coronavirus age, Nigeria — and Africa, more broadly — wishes to benefit the world, not be a drag on its resources or to seemingly be forever in need of aid. At last, after years of poor governance, we have the people, the purpose and the political will for this to change.'

SA trajectory

Hollywood star Idris Elba sounds alarm as pandemic threatens food crisis for farmers

Idris Elba on Friday called for urgent action and creative solutions to prevent a looming hunger crisis in poor countries, where food production and transport have been disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic.

The British actor and filmmaker said the issue is personal to him and his wife, model and activist Sabrina Dhowre Elba, since both of their families come from Africa. The couple launched a United Nations fund in April to support rural food systems and spoke in an online panel on Friday with experts from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

With 60% of employment in Africa in agriculture, 'that's an awful lot of people who are going to suffer and not eat because of the crisis and ongoing effects,' Elba said. 'At the beginning stages of this pandemic ... everyone was looking at themselves. And I think what's happened now is we've realised that we're all connected somewhat,' he said.

New cases in Egypt

Egypt registered 1,289 new coronavirus cases and 34 deaths, the health ministry has said, marking another record of daily increases on both counts despite stricter curfew rules. That brought the total number of fatalities to 879 and confirmed cases to 22,082, of which 5,511 people have recovered.

Infections rose this week during Eid al-Fitr celebrations, at the end of the Ramadan fasting month, despite the government bringing forward a coronavirus curfew by four hours to 17:00 and banning public transport for six days since Sunday.

Wording importance

Just as the stigma lingered for a century over the Spanish Flu, a reminder from UNICEF. 

Black market testing

“It is important that as we open our industries, we really think about the measures that we advise everyone to carry out and leave testing for the purpose for which it is there,” Chikwe Ihekweazu said.

“There is a growing black market on rapid diagnostics test kits in Nigeria, we have to be careful in what we buy, how we use it and how we interpret the results that they provide.”

Ghanaian dreams

The GHS1 Billion Coronavirus Alleviation Programme (CAP) Business Support Scheme launched by His Excellency President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Tuesday 19 May is a life saver not just for the beneficiaries but for the nation as a whole.

Children focused

Parents in South Africa, check out these handy infographics related to Monday's easing of restrictions.

Algeria lockdown extended

Algeria has extended its lockdown until 13 June, but has lifted the order in four prefectures in the country. According to Johns Hopkins University, the North African nation has registered 8,997 coronavirus cases, which have led to 630 deaths.

SA opposition politician warns people away from places of worship: "Don't go to church, you'll die"

A bystander sits outside a closed liquor store during a nationwide lockdown due to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease in Cape Town, South Africa. REUTERS/Mike Hutchings

South Africa lock down to end on 1 June

The South African government has announced plans to reopen the economy on 1 June after one of the strictest lock downs in the world draws to a close. 

Global coronavirus deaths pass 360,000 mark

The worldwide coronavirus death toll has now surpassed 360,000, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Just under 130,000 confirmed cases in Africa

The World Health Organization (WHO) has released its daily dashboard detailing the total number of cases and deaths in Africa, country by country.

Covid-19 pandemic paralyses Senegal tourism industry

Tourism represents about 4% of Senegal's GDP, but the closure of the African country's borders has left the industry "at a standstill", Reuters reports.

Africa recovery rate

It's been widely reported that Africa has dealt admirably with the Covid-19 pandemic, and the latest statistics show that recoveries far outweigh the number of fatalities across the continent. 

A worker wearing a protective gear performs a disinfection task amid the spread of the coronavirus disease outbreak, at the Ivory park secondary school in Ivory park, South Africa, May 28, 2020. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

G20 says 36 of poorest countries have applied for debt relief

(Reuters) The Group of 20 major economies on Thursday said 36 of 77 eligible countries had applied for suspension of official bilateral debt payments to help them combat the novel coronavirus pandemic and its economic fallout.

In a statement, the Saudi G20 secretariat said the debt relief initiative approved in April could provide immediate liquidity of $14 billion as more countries participated.

It said the amount could increase significantly if additional creditors, including multilateral development banks and private-sector creditors, joined the initiative.

South Africa PM calls for debt freeze

The G20 has been discussing the possibility of a "debt standstill" for vulnerable economies since April, as each country grapples with the Covid-19 novel coronavirus.

Cases spike in Egypt

The Egyptian government on Friday announced there had been 1,127 cases of Covid-19 in the country, bringing the total number in the country to over 20,000.

Coronavirus live Africa updates: welcome

Hello and welcome to our live, Africa-focused coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has now caused over 355,000 deaths worldwide.

Join us for the latest news and numbers as they emerge throughout the day