Coronavirus Africa: news summary for Monday 6 July
Coronavirus live Africa: latest Covid-19 news - 6 July
Africa Covid-19 update: 02:00 WAT on Tuesday 7 July (03:00 CEST)
According to the latest figures published by John Hopkins University, 11,579,837 cases have been detected worldwide, with 536,814 deaths and 6,269,860 people recovered.
South Africa: 205,721 cases / 3,310 deaths
Nigeria: 28,711 cases / 645 deaths
Ghana: 21,077 / 129 deaths
This live blog is now closed. For the latest news and developments relating to the Covid-19 pandemic in Africa, please follow our new 7 July live coverage here.
On Monday, the country breached the 200,000 mark, recording a cumulative total of 205,721 confirmed cases. With a further 111 COVID-19 related deaths, the death toll rises to 3,310, while the recoveries stand at 97,848. The active cases are at 104,563.
While it took nearly 100 days for Africa to reach an initial 100,000 cases, it took only 18 days for that to double to 200,000. It doubled again to 400,000 cases over the next 20 days.
Egypt reports first drop below 1,000 since 27 May
Egypt reported 969 new coronavirus cases on Monday, the health ministry said, the first drop below 1,000 registered daily since 27 May.
In total 76,222 Covid-19 cases have been reported and 3,422 deaths, including 79 on Monday, the ministry said in a statement.
Egypt reopened resorts to foreign tourists last week after tourism came to halt in March under measures to curb the coronavirus outbreak. But Egypt was not on an initial "safe list" of 14 countries for resumption of non-essential travel to the European Union, announced last week.
Ghana’s finance chief sends out warning
The fiscal gap is forecast to widen beyond 10% of gross domestic product from an adjusted outlook in March of 7.8% of GDP, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta said in an interview in the capital, Accra.
Prior to the onset of the global pandemic, the West African nation expected a shortfall of 4.7%, in line with legislation passed two years ago that the deficit shouldn’t exceed 5%.
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Kenya: International flights to resume on 1 August
International travel is set to resume in and out of Kenya on 1 August, as part of a phased reopening of the country. The travel ban for Nairobi and the Mombasa starts tomorrow, while domestic air travel will start up again on 15 July.
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Scientists ask WHO to reconsider how Covid-19 is spread
A group of 239 scientists have written to the WHO to ask them to reconsider their view on how Covid-19 is spread, saying the virus can be infect people by way of aerosols.
Madagascar re-Imposes lockdown
A surge in cases has forced the government to re-introduce lockdown measurements after a record number of positive cases were detected over the weekend.
Kenya confirm ease in lockdown restrictions
Pesident Uhuru Kenyatta announced on Monday a phased re-opening of the country from a coronavirus-induced lockdown, lifting restrictions in and out of the capital Nairobi and the coastal city of Mombasa.
Malawi cancel Independence Day celebrations
Malawian President, Lazarus Chakwera has announced the cancellation of Independence Day celebrations in the country, saying the celebrations will risk the spread of coronavirus.
Air Arabia Abu Dhabi to start operations with flights to Egypt
Air Arabia Abu Dhabi will start operations on July 14, with direct flights connecting the capital of the United Arab Emirates to Alexandria and Sohag, in Egypt, the company said on Monday on Twitter.
The airline is a joint venture between Air Arabia, the United Arab Emirates' only listed carrier, and Abu Dhabi state-owned Etihad Airways.
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Jo'burg protesters angry about vaccine testing
A small group protested about South Africans being used as 'guniea pigs' in vaccine tests for coronavirus.
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The Nigerian government also warns citizens over 'reckless confidence' relating to the pandemic.
Ghanaian president in quarantine
It's been confirmed that the president of the West African nation Nana Addo Akufo-Addo has been forced to quarantine after a member of his 'close circle' tested positive for coronavirus.
South Africa deploys military medics to coronavirus hot spot
Dozens of military medics were deployed on Sunday to help combat the coronavirus pandemic in South Africa's third-most affected province, where there has been a surge in infections.
The deployment to East Cape province comes a day after South Africa recorded more than 10,800 new Covid-19 cases, its biggest single-day jump during the pandemic, taking the cumulative infections to 187,977.
Forty-seven defence force medical personnel landed in the Eastern Cape city of Port Elizabeth to help shore up the health service, which is buckling under the rising number of cases.
Coronavirus live Africa updates: welcome
Hello and welcome to our live, Africa-focused coverage of the coronavirus crisis, which has already registered more than 11.4 million cases and over 534,000 deaths worldwide, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University.