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Coronavirus Africa summary: cases, deaths and news - 8 August

Update:
Coronavirus Africa summary: cases, deaths and news - 8 August

Coronavirus live Africa: latest Covid-19 news - Saturday 8 August

africa

Africa Covid-19 update: 01:00 WAT on Sunday 9 August (03:00 CEST) 

According to the latest figures published by Johns Hopkins University, 19,499,341 cases have been detected worldwide, with 723,881 deaths and 11,864,471 people recovered.

South Africa: 553,188 cases / 10,210 deaths

Egypt: 95,314 cases / 4,992

Nigeria: 46,140 cases / 942 deaths

Tracking coronavirus in Africa

Africa has now passed the one million cases mark, as deaths reach 22,500. 706, 502 people have recovered on the continent. Africa is set to face its first recession in 25 years as a result of the pandemic.

Egypt reports 167 new cases

Egypt' recorded 167 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number to 95,314 cases. The health ministry said in the statement that it also reported 21 new deaths, taking the total tally to 4,992. Egypt is the second worst affected nation on the African continent after South Africa. 

Botswana rough diamond exports fall 68%

Botswana has seen exports of rough diamonds fall 68% as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, according to data published by the nation's central bank. 

Exports of diamonds from Debswana, a joint venture between Botswana and De Beers, reached $293 million in the second quarter of 2020, down from $916 million posted in the first quarter of the year. 

SA surpasses 550,000 cases

South Africa has now reported 553,188 cases of COVID-19, with 10,20 deaths. 404,568 people have recovered from the disease. 

Malawi latest figures

Malawi has reported 49 new coronavirus cases, taking its total tally to 4,624. There 6 new deaths reported to bring the total to 143. 

Africa facing for first recssion 25 years

Like almost every other region in the world, Africa must brace for an unprecendeted economic fallout due to the coronavirus, with the continent set to go into recession for the first time in 25 years. 

Algeria eases coronavirus restrictions, including travel curbs and curfew

(Reuters) Algeria said on Saturday it will further ease its coronavirus lockdown, including shortening an overnight curfew, lifting some travel curbs and allowing large mosques to reopen.

The North African country has recorded 34,155 coronavirus infections, with 1,282 deaths.

In June, it resumed some economic activity, mainly in the construction and public works sectors, and allowed the reopening of some businesses.

The new measures include lifting a travel ban on 29 provinces from Aug. 9 until the end of the month. During that period, a curfew will be shortened and will run from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. from the current 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., the government said. 

Mosques with a capacity of more than 1,000 worshipers can reopen from August 15, though weekly prayers on Fridays, which are usually attended by larger numbers of people, will remain banned throughout the country.

The use of air conditioners in mosques remains banned, as does a prohibition of access for women, vulnerable people and children under 15 years, the government said.

Parody Covid-19 video takes aim at conspiracy theorists: look what's hidden in your face mask!

CORONAVIRUS

Parody Covid-19 video takes aim at conspiracy theorists: look what's hidden in your face mask!

Look what's hidden in your face mask! Parody video takes aim at conspiracy theorists

This viral video takes the mickey out of the conspiracy theory that Covid-19 is a government tool created for population control:

Kipruto tests positive for Covid-19

Olympic and world 3,000m steeplechase champion Conseslus Kipruto has announced that he has tested positive for Covid-19 and will miss the first IAAF Diamond League event of the season. 

Kipruto was due to compete in Monaco on 14 August.

"Our world is going through a challenging period and we all have to take our responsibilities," the Kenyan, 25, said on social media on Saturday. "Unfortunately my covid-19 test, as part of the Monaco-protocol, came back positive and therefore I can’t be part of the Monaco Diamond League on August 14th.

"I don’t have any symptoms and I was actually in great shape. I was planning to go for the WR [world record]: it has stayed too long outside Kenya. As the World & Olympic Champion I feel strongly its [sic] something I should go for as well.

"Wish to thank Monaco for all the work they have done and I wish them and my colleagues a wonderful competition. Athletics is back and I will be back as well. Anyone willing to organise a steeple once I can be cleared?"

Under 1% of Nigerian population tested for Covid-19

CNN’s Bukola Adebayo has spoken to people in Nigeria, which as of Friday had tested less than 1% of its population for the coronavirus, about the difficulties they have faced in getting access to free tests at state-owned facilities.

"I was going there many times, and it was not until my daughter made many calls, and I ran into a doctor friend who was at the hospital that day that I was able to do the test," Segun Bello-Osagie told Adebayo.

At the end of July, the International Rescue Committee warned that low testing rates in Africa mean "we are fighting this disease in the dark".  

"The doubling of confirmed Covid cases in July across African countries is alarming, but we are worried that this could be the tip of the iceberg," the body said.

Chike Ihekweazu, the director of the Nigerian Center for Disease Control, told Adebayo: "We recognise that improving access to testing for Covid-19 is a major priority

"We will continue to work closely with other stakeholders and partners to ensure that Nigerians can be tested in a timely manner that will also contribute to the control of this outbreak."

Covid-19 patients "dying at home" in Zimbabwe, doctor says

A Zimbabwean doctor has told the BBC that many Covid-19 sufferers are unable to get to hospital and are dying from the disease in their homes.

"We are witnessing more cases of people diagnosed with Covid-19 after a post-mortem has been done," Dr Norman Matara said. "So from the number of people who have died, most of them are people who are dying at home."

Matara added that cases are on the rise in Zimbabwe because "people are being forced right now to go outside of their houses to look for money so they can feed their families. They are also being forced to go out and look for clean water. So social distancing is not practical, and that is why we are seeing cases rise."

According to the Johns Hopkins University tracker, which bases its data on official figures, there have been 4,451 coronavirus cases in Zimbabwe, leading to 102 deaths.

UN body and local artists raise Covid-19 awareness in Niger

The UN's International Organisation for Migration has joined forces with local artists in Niger, who are producing street art aimed at increasing awareness in the country about the coronavirus and aiding the fight to curb the spread of the pandemic.

SA

Eased travel restrictions bring some relief to SA tourism industry

Tourists wearing face masks as a preventive measure against the spread of Covid-19 look at a lioness during a guided safari tour at the Dinokeng Game Reserve outside Pretoria on Friday.

Visitors have flocked from the capital Pretoria and financial hub Johannesburg since the government allowed South Africans to travel for leisure within their provinces last week, bringing a small sliver of relief to the country's tourist industry, which has missed out on more than $3.9 billion in revenue since South Africa went into lockdown on 27 March.

(Photo: Michele Spatari / AFP)

Egypt records 141 new Covid-19 cases and 20 deaths

Egypt's Ministry of Health reported 141 new cases of Covid-19 infection in the country on Friday while 20 people have died from complications relating to the virus. It brings the total number of cases in Egypt to 95,147 and the death toll to 4,971.

Coronavirus live Africa updates: Good morning

Hello and welcome to our live, Africa-focused coverage of the coronavirus pandemic, which as of 07:30 WAT had registered over 19.3 million cases and more than 721,000 deaths worldwide, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

In Africa, according to the latest update by the World Health Organization (WHO), positive cases have now passed the million mark while over 21,000 people have died of the virus.