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Coronavirus Africa: news summary for Tuesday 7 July

Update:
A Grade 7 student of the Sitoromo Junior Secondary School in Sterkspruit adjusts her mask as she leaves class for a break on July 6, 2020. - The school reopened today for their Grade 7 pupils only, after being shut for two weeks due to a case of COVID-19

Coronavirus live Africa: latest Covid-19 news - 7 July

Africa

Africa Covid-19 update: 01:30 WAT on Wednesday 8 July (02:30 CEST) 

According to the latest figures published by John Hopkins University, 11,787,953 cases have been detected worldwide, with 542,463 deaths and 6,410,751 people recovered.

South Africa: 215,855 cases / 3,502 deaths

Nigeria: 29,286 cases / 654 deaths

Ghana: 21,968 / 129 deaths

Carpenter

A job seeker holds a board advertising his skills as a waste picker pulls a trolley past, loaded with recyclable materials, amid the spread of the coronavirus disease , in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo: REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko)

Algeria prepares new plan to revive economy, reduce dependence on oil

OPEC member Algeria, facing financial pressure after a fall in energy revenue, will launch a new economic plan to reduce reliance on oil and gas and give the private sector a greater role, the government said on Tuesday amid the coronavirus pandemic.

President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who was elected in December, has repeatedly vowed to reform the oil-reliant economy by developing the non-energy sector and seeking new funding sources.

A further drop in oil and gas earnings during the coronavirus pandemic forced the government to cut public spending and delay planned investment projects in sectors including energy.

The woman, named Nabawiya Mohamed, was recently discharged from the hospital after being completely cured from the virus, said Egyptian Ministry of Local Development in a statement.

An interesting look at how schools will manage after the US said school will reopen in August.

John Hopkins mortality analysis for each country

One of the most important ways to measure the burden of COVID-19 is mortality. Countries throughout the world have reported very different case fatality ratios – the number of deaths divided by the number of confirmed cases. Differences in mortality numbers can be caused by:

Differences in the number of people tested: With more testing, more people with milder cases are identified. This lowers the case-fatality ratio.

Demographics: For example, mortality tends to be higher in older populations.

Characteristics of the healthcare system: For example, mortality may rise as hospitals become overwhelmed and have fewer resources.

Other factors, many of which remain unknown.

Coronavirus corruption sees Zimbabwe minister sacked.

A look at where South Africa's coronavirus relief package will be going.

WHO acknowledges 'emerging evidence' of airborne spread of COVID-19

The World Health Organization on Tuesday acknowledged "emerging evidence" of the airborne spread of the novel coronavirus, after a group of scientists urged the global body to update its guidance on how the respiratory disease is spread.

Speaking at a briefing in Geneva, WHO expert Benedetta Allegranzi said the organization believed it had "been open to the evidence on modes of transmission" of the new virus.

In terms of overall numbers, Africa currently accounts for only a small proportion of total global cases, but the acceleration in rates of infection in some countries is of increasing concern to health authorities in the region.

Bad news about remittances

70% of international migration is within Africa. With remittances from people who went abroad for work falling, that's bad news all around.

Kenyan police fire teargas, arrest marchers protesting at brutality during lockdown

Kenyan police on Tuesday fired teargas and arrested activists gathering for a march against perceived government injustice that has been given extra impetus this year by allegations by rights groups of police brutality during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Activists said protesters from several areas had planned to march from their homes to the centre of the capital Nairobi, but many were dispersed or arrested before reaching there. Samuel Kiriro said six of his colleagues from rights group the Ghetto Foundation in the Mathare slum had been arrested.

For those who made it into the city centre, police fired more teargas and made further arrests.

DRC

A wall mural depicts an advocacy message on fumigation as a measure against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, on the walls of the Kinshasa Academy of Fine Arts in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

(Photo:REUTERS/Benoit Nyemba)

992 new cases confirmed in Ghana

Ghana’s COVID-19 cases have risen to hit 21,077 after the Ghana Health Service confirmed 992 new infections across the country.

Nigeria Covid-19 breakdown

 

Benin mask innovation

In Benin, a dozen entrepreneurs are developing ideas to tackle the coronavirus pandemic, from masks to 3D-printed protective gear, with financial and technical support from a government-United Nations taskforce launched in April.

"Because it hasn't been easy to import goods into the country, we have to take a hard look at what we can produce locally," said Claude Bona, head of Seme City, the government's innovation and entrepreneurship centre, co-leading the project.

"I think people are slowly taking measure of what's happening here in Africa with innovation, and how it can be a very powerful tool."

Can coronavirus be spread through the air?

Coronavirus

Can coronavirus be spread through the air?

Can coronavirus be spread through the air?

 

Coronavirus: the complete guide to the Covid-19 pandemic

Covid-19

Coronavirus: the complete guide to the Covid-19 pandemic

Coronavirus: the complete guide to the Covid-19 pandemic

All the information you need to understand the coronavirus and ways to stay safe during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Egypt reports first drop if news cases 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.

Coronavirus live Africa updates: welcome

Hello and welcome to our live, Africa-focused coverage of the coronavirus crisis, which has already registered more than 11.6 million cases and over 538,000 deaths worldwide, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University.