Coronavirus Africa news summary: Sunday 16 August

Africa’s Covid-19 cases pass 1.1 million mark

Covid-19 death rates have been low and share of recoveries high in Africa despite earlier warnings from experts that the virus would overrun weak health systems in most countries and kill millions. 

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Ethiopia reports 19 deaths, 982 Covid-19 cases as total nears 30,000

Ethiopia has so far tested just over 609,000 people and currently has just over 16,600 active cases.

Ethiopia remains marginally behind Kenya in terms of the country in Eastern Africa with the highest total number of Covid-19 cases. It, however, has recorded more deaths and slightly fewer recoveries.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced that the government will launch a nationwide month long testing campaign which will determine the next steps it will undertake.

What is Kenya doing as it faces Covid-19 and climate threats

Peter Njeru used to live in central Nairobi's rundown Michuki Memorial Park because he had nowhere else to go. Now the 28-year-old is restoring and guarding the green space, one of about 200 jobless former park residents hired to help with the work.

"This park was my home with other street families, though people were dumping here illegally," he said, noting that he used to collect and sell plastic bottles and metal scraps to buy food.

But after being evicted in 2017, he was hired for a few months to help clear trash in the park - and began guarding it in his spare time.

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Africa dissected

A look at how the coronavirus has spread across the continent.

Amref Health Africa in Canada to provide additional funding

The Covid-19 response activities will target the specific needs in each country, with a focus on four primary areas:

- providing personal protective equipment (PPE) to health workers and health facilities;

- rapidly deploying water and sanitation supplies, such as handwashing stations;

- training health workers on Covid-19 prevention and treatment, including the use of innovative mobile health and eLearning platforms; and,

- providing Covid-19 education in communities with a focus on those that are remote, vulnerable or marginalized.

Sanwo-Olu extends Lagos market hours

The Lagos State Government led by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has extended hours of operations of food and non-food markets amid coronavirus in the state.

Naija News reports that the Lagos markets will henceforth be open at 8 am and close at 6 pm.

A statement issued by the  Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Dr Wale Ahmed, said the decision of the Lagos market hours by Governor Sanwo-Olu is to further enhance trade and commerce as well as mitigate the hardship of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Commissioner emphasised the alternate days of operations will remains in force whereby food markets open on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday while non -food markets open on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

A woman walks past a closed liquor shop in Dunkeld, Johannesburg. South Africa will lift a coronavirus-linked ban on the sale of alcohol and tobacco products from August 17, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Saturday: "Restrictions on the sale of tobacco will be lifted, the suspension of the sale of alcohol will be lifted subject to certain restrictions," the South Africa president added, announcing the relaxation of several confinement measures. (Photo by Michele Spatari / AFP)

Africa case updates for 16 August

The Africa CDC has released its daily breakdown of new cases reported across the continent.

President Sisi praises Egypt’s ‘tangible success’ in fighting coronavirus

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi stressed that although the country’s virus situation isn’t too severe and shows improvement, this does not mean that people should stop caring. He noted that the inauguration was attended with facemasks on, and expressed his eagerness to continue seeing them worn during all meetings and discussions.

“And please, we want to reach zero infections, and keep it that way,” he added.

“The spread of coronavirus is sensitive, and we must realize that there will be no tolerance with the virus, because this will reflect on society. Consequently, society must insist on its position as citizens and state agencies, to ensure the public health in Egypt is not greatly affected,” Sisi said.

Former India Test opener Chauhan dies of coronavirus

Former India Test opener Chetan Chauhan, who forged a prolific opening partnership with Sunil Gavaskar, has died aged 73 from coronavirus, his brother told AFP Sunday.

Chauhan, who tested positive last month, was put on ventilator support at a hospital in Gurgaon just outside the capital New Delhi, but his condition worsened after he suffered multiple organ failure.

He is one of the highest-profile figures to die from the disease in India, which is the world's third-most infected nation with more than 2.5 million cases and almost 50,000 deaths.

"He had tested negative but then the reports came positive again," brother Pushpendra Chauhan told AFP.

School pupils in south Sudan receive classes via radio

Schools in southern Sudan have been closed since March but a new initiative allows pupils to keep up with their studies with classes given by radio. Four radio lessons are broadcast daily across the country, covering primary 1 to senior 4. Some children however, are missing out because they don't have a radio.

In Yei, distribution of radios have started with the support from UNMISS, who have purchased radios especially for schools. The students are being taught how to use the radios and briefed on when they should tune in for radio lessons. Over 2 million children are currently out of school due to the pandemic.

325 new Covid-19 cases recorded

The World Health Organization reported 325 new cases of Coronavirus infection in Nigeria, over the past 24 hours, taking the country's total to 48,770. A total of 36,290 patients have been discharged while 974 deaths have been registered.

Boarding pupils taking WASSCE should have five masks —Mojola

Lagos State Safety Commission Director General Lanre Mojola spoke to The Punch about the measures in place to ensure that schools will be able to reopen safely. "We’ve had a lot of training in collaboration with the Ministry of Education on what the teachers should look out for and also in terms of operational deliverables, in terms of disinfection, decontamination and fumigation. We need to ensure that the pupils are well-spaced-out. The government has given masks to all the pupils that have gone back to school. We recommend having about five reusable masks so that you can wash them regularly".

Dubai sends humanitarian aid supplies to Nigeria and Sudan

HH Sheikh Mohammed ordered a humanitarian aid flight to Sudan and Nigeria carrying 14 tonnes of medical supplies and 20 tonnes of food supplies. The relief shipment was dispatched from IHC in Dubai on Saturday.

Africa's innovators help fight the pandemic

The BBC has taken a look at 10 useful inventions that have emerged in Africa since the coronavirus hit the continent, such as the solar-powered  hand-washing sink and the wooden money sanitiser: 

Coronavirus

South Africa moves to lockdown level 2 with many restrictions lifted

South Africa moves to lockdown level 2 with many restrictions lifted

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that the country is moving to lockdown level 2 amid its battle with coronavirus.

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Coronavirus live Africa updates: welcome

Hello and welcome to our live, Africa-focused coverage of the coronavirus pandemic, which as of 08:15 WAT on Sunday had registered nearly 21.5m cases and over 771,000 deaths worldwide, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.