Coronavirus Africa summary: cases, deaths and news - 25 July

New Africa coronavirus feed

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Evidence suggests SA death toll much higher than reported

Debunking Covid-19 myths

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Man City vs Real Madrid in doubt as UK reimposes quarantine

Man City-Real Madrid clash in doubt as UK reimposes quarantine

Rising coronavirus numbers in Spain look like having an impact on Manchester City and Real Madrid's Champions League tie at the Etihad Stadium, after the UK government opted to reimpose a 14-day quarantine for travellers arriving from the Spanish mainland or the Canary and Balearic Islands.

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SA trade and industry minister tests positive

In this file photo taken on 24 March, South African Trade and Industry Minister Ebrahim Patel looks on during a press conference with Members of the National Command Council's Economic Cluster to outline in detail the government's measures against the coronavirus.

Patel, 58, tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday, the cabinet said. He is the fourth minister to contract the virus in Africa's hardest-hit country.

(Photo by Phill Magakoe / POOL / AFP)

Sub-Saharan Africa’s economy to contract before recovery next year - Reuters

Research carried out by the news agency Reuters says Sub-Saharan Africa’s economy is expected to contract by 3.1% in 2020, as a result of the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic, which has led to prolonged lockdowns across the continent. However, it is anticipated that the region’s economy will then stage a recovery in 2021, posting a rate of growth of around 3.5%.

12 teachers die of Covid-19 in Gauteng, South Africa

In total the province, which holds Johannesburg and Pretoria, has had nearly 150,000 confirmed cases and over 1,100 deaths. 

The teachers' deaths come as The Educators Union of South Africa are saying they will forcibly shut down schools and pushing their message harder: "A dead teacher cannot teach, a dead learner cannot learn."

In Zambia, 15 lawmakers test positive for coronavirus

Fifteen Zambian lawmakers have tested positive for Covid-19, that nation’s health minister said on Friday. 

Chitalu Chilufya said lawmakers were tested after two MPs died from the virus which led to a suspension of the assembly. A total of 3,789 cases have been confirmed and 134 deaths recorded, according to health officials.

Africa's total number of confirmed cases has surpassed 800,000

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has announced the new milestone..

South Africa has well over half the reported cases on the 54-nation continent, but infections are now climbing rapidly in other countries including Kenya, East Africa's economic hub, with more than 16,000.

Africa was a major concern even before the first case was reported on the continent on 14 February as the World Health Organization's declaration of a global health emergency in January cited the threat to fragile health care systems.

Africa's are the least-equipped in the world, and health experts have warned the virus could smoulder in parts of the continent for a long time. Africa now has 810,008 confirmed cases. 

Break the chain...

...stop the spread 

Xavi

Xavi tests positive for Covid-19

Xavi tests positive for Covid-19

The Barcelona legend, now at Al Sadd is in isolation after testing positive for the novel coronavirus.

Insurance support for SMBs in SA

South Africa’s Hollard Insurance said it will provide relief to small and medium businesses hit financially by a lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus

Pregnant women at risk of death in Kenya’s Covid-19 curfew

According to the United Nations' Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group, maternal deaths in Kenya had fallen from 9,100 a year in 2000 to 5,000 in 2017. That translates to 13 recorded maternal deaths daily, down from 24.

Still, the East African country remains among the top 21 in the world for maternal deaths.

Louisa Muteti, chair of the Midwives Association of Kenya, fears that mother and child deaths during childbirth have increased under the curfew.

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Copycat city business and how they are killing businesses

In the days since the coronavirus pandemic struck, the thriving mini market that cropped up virtually overnight has become the symbol of the disruptive effect the pandemic has had on the jobs sector.The coronavirus pandemic and the resulting loss of jobs has forced Kenyans to make some tough decisions over their source of income.

What started with a single person converting their car into a mini market to make a living during the pandemic by selling farm produce spawned a wave of retailers who descended on the highway. 

Relatives observe undertakers unloading a casket containing the remains of a Covid-19 coronavirus patient during a funeral at the Avalon cemetery in Soweto, on July 24, 2020.

(Photo by Michele Spatari / AFP)

Senegal strengthens coronavirus testing for travellers

Senegal is strengthening its coronavirus testing capacity to enable travellers to get tested before leaving the country, and testing those arriving in the West African state. 

Senegal, which depends on tourism for around 4% of GDP, has reported 9,422 cases since the outbreak, with 182 deaths. 

It lifted a ban on international flights from 15 July but said it will apply the principle of reciprocity to travellers from countries that do not allow citizens from Senegal. 

Around 1.7 million people holidayed in Senegal in 2019.

Coronavirus having ‘devastating’ impact on children in Africa, charity warns

A global health charity has warned of the “devastating” impact coronavirus is having on children in Africa, with a knock-on effect from movement restrictions.

Garreth Wood, KidsOR co-founder, said there is “a clear picture of the scale of the healthcare shutdown”, with one surgeon the charity works with saying fewer than three in every 100 children who need an operation is receiving the care they urgently need.

He also suggested in some countries before the Covid-19 pandemic an “unacceptably low” 3-5% of young people who needed care were getting it.

Covid-19 catch-up

Here is a selection of some of the coronavirus-related stories that have been making the headlines over the last 24 hours:

- Senegal is strengthening its coronavirus testing capacity to enable travellers to get tested before leaving the country

- The World Health Organization (WHO) has said coronavirus cases in Africa have increased by 23 percent in the space of a week

- Ethiopia has registered its biggest single-day rise in coronavirus cases, after reporting 760 new infections on Friday

- Government spokesperson Cyrus Oguna has revealed that he has tested positive for Covid-19

- Fifteen lawmakers and 11 members of staff at the Zambian parliament have tested positive for Covid-19

Africa Covid-19 update: 07:00 WAT on Saturday 25 July (08:00 CEST) 

According to the latest figures published by Johns Hopkins University, 15,736,499 cases have been detected worldwide, with 639,652 deaths and 9,043,203 people recovered.

South Africa: 421,996 cases / 6,343 deaths

Egypt: 91,072 cases / 4,518

Nigeria: 39,539 cases / 845 deaths

Coronavirus live Africa updates: welcome

Hello and welcome to our live, Africa-focused coverage of the coronavirus pandemic, which has registered just over 15.7 million cases and more than 639,000 deaths worldwide, according to figures by Johns Hopkins University.