Coronavirus live updates: Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, Ghana... cases, deaths and news
Coronavirus live Africa: latest news - 22 July
This live blog is now closed. For the latest developments relating to the Covid-19 pandemic in Africa, please follow the new 23 July feed here.
Excess deaths show picture in SA
In the past weeks, the numbers have shown a relentless increase – by the second week of July, there were 59% more deaths from natural causes than would have been expected based on historical data. It also means that reported deaths have shown a pattern that is completely different to those indicated by historical trends.
According to Prof Debbie Bradshaw, Chief Specialist Scientist and a co-author of the Report, the timing and geographic pattern leaves no room to question whether this is associated with the Covid-19 epidemic. “However, the weekly death reports have revealed a huge discrepancy between the country’s confirmed Covid-19 deaths and number of excess natural deaths,” said Bradshaw.
Pandemic effect on Egypt’s economic growth
Egypt’s economic growth will slow to 3.1 per cent in the 2020/2021 fiscal year, according to a Reuters poll.
Growth is down due to the country’s coronavirus pandemic, which has negatively affected tourism revenues.
As the price of gas has fallen, expat Egyptians living in the oil rich Gulf states have sent fewer remittances back home.
According to the report, if coronavirus continues until the end of this year growth could slow to two per cent in contrast to the expected 3.5 per cent.
Africa tops 750,000 cases
The tally showed the continent had 751,151 cases, 15,721 deaths and 407,461 recoveries. Cases crossed the 500,000 mark on 8 July.
Bisi Fayemi’s wife, exco members and aides tested
A few hours after Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti tested positive for coronavirus, his wife, Bisi, and top government functionaries have undergone tests to determine their status.
According to Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode, Mrs Fayemi, being the closest person to the governor and other members of the State Executive Council, including himself and other personal aides of the governor have submitted themselves for Covid-19 tests.
“Samples have been taken and we are now expecting the results. But none of us is symptomatic as of now; so no cause for alarm,” he said.
Why potential risks mean UoN will not reopen soon
The University of Nairobi is unlikely to reopen in September as earlier planned after 14 members of staff tested positive for Covid-19.
"Nairobi is the most affected part of the country and the university sits right at the centre of the city. It will not be prudent to reopen," Vice-Chancellor Stephen Kiama said on Wednesday.
There has been a surge in the number of Covid-19 cases recorded in Nairobi each day. The institution had hoped to resume studies in September.
Kenya’s flower industry back in bloom
At the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, Kenya's flower industry worth 1.5 billion US dollars began wilting. However, with the recent easing of strict measures in some of the countries where Kenya exports to, the flower business has blossomed once more, with a rebound of over 80% of pre-Covid sales.
Esau Williams has been talking to Clement Tulezi, the CEO of the Kenya Flower Council.
South Africa’s coronavirus vaccine trial has challenges ahead
Professor Shabir Madhi, trial head for the Oxford vaccine study in South Africa, says that his team is facing challenges as the country faces a surge in coronavirus cases.
Madhi and his team are currently testing the Oxford vaccine in the middle of a Covid-19 storm in South Africa, where infections are climbing at a rapid rate.
Speaking in an interview with CNN, the professor said that his team might end up failing in the trial – not because the vaccine fails at protecting people, but rather because the ‘force of exposure’ is so tremendous in the country that it presents other challenges.
Decline in flu cases around the world could be positive sign
For the past two months, as winter descended on Chile, infectious-disease specialist Claudia Cortés worked tirelessly to keep a wave of critically ill Covid-19 patients alive in the hospital where she works.
At the same time, she worried about what would happen when the usual wave of influenza patients arrived.
Read on with the WSJ
Ghana Premier League 2020/21 season to start in October
Ghana Premier League has KO date for new season
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) declared that the new season of the Ghanaian Premier League will get underway by the end of October with some changes.
Global Covid-19 cases hit 15 million
The number of confirmed Covid-19 infections worldwide surpassed 15 million on Wednesday evening with the figure at 15,008,046 according to the data collected by Johns Hopkins University at 19:00 hours CEST.
The United States, Brazil, and India remain the top three countries most affected by the pandemic. Earlier, the US confirmed 68,524 new cases of the coronavirus, while India registered 37,724. Brazil saw a rise of 41,008 in daily infections in the past 24 hours, marking a significant increase to the 20,257 reported the day before.
A total of 617,832 people around the world died from Covid-19 so far, while 8,509,938 have recovered from the virus.
Coronavirus: animation shows evolution of case numbers in world's worst-affected countries
Tracking the evolution of case numbers in the worst-hit countries
The animated chart below shows how case numbers have progressed in the world's worst-affected countries since mid-April:
Rise in cases overwhelms hospitals in Madagascar
Hospitals in Madagascar’s capital city, Antananarivo, have been overwhelmed by rising coronavirus cases in the African country, reports the BBC, with the director of one facility telling the broadcaster that just four of 50 beds were still available.
The BBC adds that the Madagascan health minister has written an open letter to aid organisations asking for essential supplies such as respirators and protective equipment for medical staff. According to the report, almost 80% of Madagascar’s 7,500 infections have come in the last month.
Hospitality workers protest against SA restrictions
Restaurant workers gather in Parktown North, Johannesburg, to join a national protest, organised by the Restaurant Association of South Africa (RASA), against the national lockdown regulations the South African government has issued to fight the rise of coronavirus cases. The reintroduction of the ban on alcohol sales and a night curfewwill have a negative economic impact on the hospitality industry.
(Photo: Luca Sola / AFP)
Coronavirus: are mouth lesions another Covid-19 symptom?
A research team in Spain has published a study that finds some coronavirus sufferers with a skin rash also have enanthems, or mouth lesions.
WHO warns of "accelerating" in Africa
The spread of the coronavirus is starting to accelerate in parts of Africa, according to Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the World Health Organization’s health emergencies program, via Reuters. He also pointed to signs of “worrying trends” in southern Europe and the Balkans.
“Obviously the Americas is clearly still the major hot spot, North, Central and South America, but we have disease beginning to accelerate in Africa,” Ryan told the Newstalk radio station in Ireland, according to Reuters.
A woman holds a placard during a protest by members of the restaurant industry during a protest against Covid-19 coronavirus restrictions in Johannesburg, South Africa. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko
Nigeria flight ban extended until October
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has confirmed that it will extend the closure of international airspace until 15 October, delaying the reopening of Nigeria's airports from its original intended date of 19 August.
Beds are seen at a temporary field hospital set up in a sports complex by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) during the coronavirus outbreak in Khayelitsha township near Cape Town, South Africa.. REUTERS/Mike Hutchings
South African MPs test positive
According to local media, Minister of Labour and Employment Thulas Nxesi and MPs Zamuxolo Peter, Simphiwe Mbatha and Collin Malatji have all tested positive for Covid-19.
Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe and National Assembly House Chairperson Cedric Frolick both tested positive for the virus on Tuesday.
Global coronavirus cases exceed 15 million - Reuters tally
(Reuters) Global coronavirus infections surged past 15 million on Wednesday, according to a Reuters tally, with the pandemic gathering pace even as countries remain divided in their response to the crisis.
In the United States, which has the highest number of cases in the world with 3.91 million infections, President Donald Trump warned: "It will probably, unfortunately, get worse before it gets better."
The top five countries with the most cases is rounded out by Brazil, India, Russia and South Africa. But, the Reuters tally shows the disease is accelerating the fastest in the Americas, which account for more than half the world's infections and half its deaths.
Bill Gates donates $1 million for Nigeria's fight against coronavirus
A UN finance support platform tagged “One UN COVID-19 Response Basket Fund”, says it has received additional one million dollars to help Nigeria to address challenges posed by the pandemic in the country.
The UN Development Programme (UNDP), which manages the basket fund, made this known in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.
The statement quoted Mohamed Yahya, the UNDP Resident Representative in Nigeria, as saying that the additional fund was to aid Nigeria, as it witnessed a rapid rise in the number of confirmed cases.
Mr Yahya said the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has donated one million dollars in support of the Nigerian government in addressing the challenges of COVID-19 pandemic on July 14, 2020.
Zimbabwe tightens COVID rules ahead of anti-government protests
(Reuters) Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa said on Tuesday his government would impose a night-time curfew and tighten other measures to tackle rising coronavirus infections, adding that anyone who challenged the rules faced severe punishment.
Critics and the opposition said the new steps were linked to anti-government protests planned for next week.
On Monday police arrested an opposition official and a journalist, accusing them of inciting violence ahead of July 31 demonstrations by activists who say government corruption has exacerbated economic hardship.
"As of tomorrow, Wednesday, ... all our security services must enforce a dusk-to-dawn curfew set to come into force daily between 1800 hours and 0600 hours," Mnangagwa said in a televised address to the nation.
Africa latest coronavirus figures
According to the latest available data, there are now over 738,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19 on the African continent with the largest numbers in South Africa and Egypt. The number of fatalities stands at over 15,000 people.
Coronavirus: the complete guide to the Covid-19 pandemic
In this guide you’ll find a summary of many of the recommendations and explanations provided by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other public health authorities, along with answers to many of the most frequently asked questions about the coronavirus.
Coronavirus live Africa updates: welcome
Hello and welcome to our live, Africa-focused coverage of the coronavirus pandemic, which as of 08:00 WAT had registered just over 14.7 million cases and more than 615,000 deaths worldwide, according to figures by Johns Hopkins University.
According to the latest World Health Organization count for Africa, there have been more than 738,000 cases on the continent, leading to over 15,000 fatalities.