Maimane gears up for new Covid-19 schools challenge

Former DA leader Mmusi Maimane and The One SA leader intends going back to court to delay pupils' return to school for at least 60 days, given the current spike in coronavirus cases in the country.

THE LATEST: First 20 US-donated ventilators installed at Baragwanath hospital in Soweto

The first 20 ventilators which will form part of a total donation of 1 000 ventilators from the US government, have been installed at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital in Soweto.

International Covid-19 news: Nearly 396,000 deaths, France reboots tourism

Temperature checks, sanitiser and a Bible: Some Gauteng churches prepare to open this weekend

Some places of worship are gearing up for their first service this weekend since last gathering in March before the national lockdown was enforced.  

The novel coronavirus has killed at least 395,977 people since the outbreak first emerged in China last December, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP at 11:00 GMT on Saturday.

At least 6,782,890 cases of coronavirus have been registered in 196 countries and territories. Of these, at least 2,943,700 are now considered recovered.

The tallies, using data collected by AFP from national authorities and information from the World Health Organization, probably reflect only a fraction of the actual number of infections.Many countries are testing only symptomatic cases or the most serious ones.

The United States is the worst-hit country with 109,143 deaths from 1,897,838 cases. At least 491,706 people have been declared recovered.

After the US, the hardest-hit countries are Britain with 40,261 deaths from 283,311 cases, Brazil with 35,026 deaths and 645,771 infections, Italy with 33,774 deaths from 234,531 cases, and France with 29,111 deaths and 190,052 cases.

INFOGRAPHICS | The first 90 days of Covid-19: How does SA compare to the world?

A comparison of the first 90 days of the Covid-19 epidemic in South Africa with some of the hardest hit countries in the world, shows how the early lockdown in SA prevented thousands of coronavirus cases.

Social behavioural change is key, Mkhize concludes. 

"70% of the deaths are coming from the Western Cape," Mkhize says. Adding that the numbers will increase across the country unless behavioural change takes place. 

"This pandemic is going to be with us for a very long time," Mkhize says.

Mkhize says schools and businesses cannot be abandoned and the economy cannot remain closed, but instead of criticising, we have to adapt to a new normal which includes wearing a mask to school.

To date, 2084 healthcare workers have been infected with the virus, 800 have recovered, and 18 have died, Mkhize says.

Minister Zweli Mkhize pays tribute to the death of George Floyd and highlights current protests being held in the US. He says it was a devastating death which caused anguish and affected African Americans and black people around the world, causing immense pain. 

Wear masks in public, says WHO in new coronavirus advice

The World Health Organisation on Friday changed its advice on face masks amid the coronavirus pandemic, saying they should be worn in places where the virus is widespread and physical distancing is difficult.

The use of masks has been a hot topic ever since the pandemic first emerged in China in December.

"In light of evolving evidence, WHO advises that governments should encourage the general public to wear masks where there is widespread transmission and physical distancing is difficult," said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

In areas with community-level virus transmission, "we advise that people aged 60 years or over, or those with underlying conditions, should wear a medical mask in situations where physical distancing is not possible", he added.

But the UN health agency stressed that facemasks alone "will not protect you from Covid-19" - and people suffering with the virus should not be out in public if they can avoid it.

The WHO maintained its recommendation that people who are sick with Covid-19 symptoms should stay at home and if it is absolutely necessary for them or their contacts to leave home, they should wear a medical mask.

AFP

Coronavirus morning update: President calls for responsible drinking, and latest on schools

The president has called on South Africans not "to drink so much they injure others", and the ConCourt has rejected an urgent application to stop schools reopening.

The Covid-19 death toll has risen to 908 after 60 more people died - 53 of them from the epicentre, Western Cape. 

The number of cases now sits at 43 434. There have been 23 088 recoveries.

Here are today's top stories

The SA National Defence Force has contradicted Minister of Defence Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula’s statement which said the Collins Khosa matter was still being investigated. The SANDF said that the matter is closed, and will not be investigated further. 

The concern around schools reopening has renewed, with unions again reporting that they are worried about schools’ readiness. After having been set to initially reopen on 1 June, schools reopening were postponed by a week, and are expected to open on Monday. Unions have claimed that, among other problems, some schools were still without requisite protective gear.

 The Constitutional Court has denied One South Africa the opportunity to challenge the government’s decision to reopen schools at the country’s highest court. The movement, headed by former DA leader Mmusi Maimane, approached the ConCourt in the hopes of getting the court to order the government not to open schools for at least 60 days so that various challenges can be attended to.

The body of a South African medical student which is stuck in Cuba because of the lockdown will finally be repatriated in July. Sibusiso Qongqo, a fifth year student, died after a short illness.

After being left battered and bruised by the coronavirus pandemic, the rand is showing some signs of promise, and on Friday morning came below R17/$ for the first time since the lockdown, hitting R16.74/$.

Operations at the Cape Town harbour have stalled as workers began being sent home with suspected cases of Covid-19. There are 14 ships from Transnet docked at the harbour waiting to be offloaded.

Wanting to stock up on alcohol but can’t handle the long queues? We’ve got you covered. Business Insider compiled a comparison of the prices of popular drinks.

Stay informed with News24

Special report | Faces of lockdown
Talking point | Can I be with my child in a Covid-19 quarantine facility?
Stay safe | Advice for keeping safe in supermarkets, schools and on public transport
FAQs | News24 answers all your questions
Checklist | These are the first symptoms
Rolling coverage | All the latest Covid-19 news in one place

- Compiled by Kerushun Pillay

Wanting to stock up on alcohol but can’t handle the long queues?

We’ve got you covered.

As the mad rush for alcohol after two “dry” months starts to settle down - and amid harsh economic circumstances – South Africans are expected to become more price conscious as they buy their booze.

Treatment drug 'shows no benefit', Trump says US 'doing really well' - International Covid-19 news

A major trial in the UK of hydroxychloroquine has found it has "no benefit" for patients hospitalised with Covid-19, researchers said on Friday, announcing they had halted tests of the drug.

US President Donald Trump asserted on Friday that his country has made it through the worst of the coronavirus pandemic. 

And Brazil's death toll from the new coronavirus surpassed Italy's to become the third-highest in the world. The virus is taking a toll on Latin America. 

About 53 000 people in England had the coronavirus in the last two weeks of May but less than a third of those who tested positive had symptoms, a study has said. This equates to about one in 1 000 people. 

Pictured: The conductor of the Cascais & Oeiras Chamber Orchestra in Portugal, Maestro Nikolay Lalov, gestures while directing the musicians during a rehearsal. (Getty Images)

Ramaphosa says he 'regrets' Collins Khosa death

The president says it is "to my deepest regret" that some people have lost their lives during the lockdown, allegedly at the hand of the authorities. 

He called on the military and police to get to the bottom of these allegations. 

"We will spare no effort in ensuring those responsible will face the full might of the law."

He said he was disappointed by the allegations because he told the authorities "not to treat South Africans as the enemy" when they were deployed to enforce the lockdown.

Ramaphosa is speaking at an online briefing on the ANC's anti-racism campaign, inspired by global protesting against the killings of black men in the US. 

He said the attention on racism at the moment could be a "turning point". 

Khosa died during a fracas with SA National Defence Force members. The members involved were, however, cleared of any liability. 

More to follow

Covid-19: How to keep safe in supermarkets, schools and on public transport

Advice on reducing the risk of contracting Covid-19 for you and your family.

Lockdown is easing and schools are returning. But in some parts of the country the coronavirus epidemic is escalating.

It’s an anxious time, and there are likely to be multiple waves of outbreaks of Covid-19 over the next two years, unless a vaccine becomes available sooner.

Covid-19: Distancing, masks - what a comprehensive review says about their effectiveness

In the first review of all literature available, researchers look at the efficacy of current protective measures against Covid-19. But what is the consensus?

The review takes a look at all published literature to inform the World Health Organisation (WHO) on the most effective safety measures.

OPINION | When leaders fail to lead, the vacuum will be filled

There are times when the official leader of a country is rendered irrelevant by momentous events. To be irrelevant could be the outcome of many factors.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has to reclaim his leadership relevance on the Collins Khosa matter and take charge as a commander-in-chief, writes Mpumelelo Mkhabela.

11 Gauteng teachers and a pupil test positive for Covid-19

Eleven teachers and a pupil have tested positive for Covid-19 in Gauteng, Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi told a weekly Provincial Command Council meeting on Friday.

Lesufi said they have also traced the contacts of all those who tested positive. 

PODCAST | ...ONE MORE THING: Jessie Duarte on racism, police brutality and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma

ANC deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte talks about the party's new anti-racism campaign.

On Thursday, Duarte called on South Africans to wear black every Friday for three weeks to take a stand against racism.

Ramaphosa at opening of CTICC 'Hospital of Hope': We must pull out all stops for more beds

President Cyril Ramaphosa was in the Western Cape on Friday to inspect facilities in the province that has the most Covid-19 cases.

The president heard from Western Cape health department head Dr Keith Cloete the most dangerous comorbidities were diabetes and hypertension.

President Cyril Ramaphosa toured the Western Cape on Friday to assess the province's response to the Covid-19 pandemic. He was welcomed by Premier Alan Winde at the Cape Town International Convention Centre where together they opened the doors to the new 'Hospital of Hope', a field hospital with 850 beds for patients with Covid-19.

Schools opening under Level 3: ConCourt rejects Maimane’s urgent application to stop schools reopening

The Constitutional Court on Friday denied Mmusi Maimane’s One South Africa movement direct access, on an urgent basis, to challenge government's decision to reopen schools.

Maimane, in his papers, claimed the government was failing in its "constitutional" and "legal" duty to consult with organisations to ensure meaningful public participation.

Covid-19 wrap: Global deaths pass 390 000, Australia bans anti-racism protest, vaccine alliance gets $8.8bn

The novel coronavirus has killed at least 390 868 people since the outbreak first emerged in China last December, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP at 11:00 (GMT) on Friday.

"We are not contemplating closing alcohol soon," says Ramaphosa, before urging people to "drink responsibly".

President Cyril Ramaphosa says "a family meeting" - referring to his national addresses during Covid-19 - will happen "soon so that we can assess where we are". 

Covid-19: South Africa can ill-afford another Western Cape type outbreak, says Mabuza

Deputy president David Mabuza says other provinces cannot follow the trajectory of the Western Cape. 

"I think that's the point where the Western Cape lost it, they did not trace contacts. The virus was spreading unnoticed and it just became a problem," said Mabuza.

Defence Minister Mapisa-Nqakula got it wrong on Collins Khosa inquiry, report is final - SANDF

In a statement released on Friday, the ministry said that when the minister, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, told Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Defence that, in her opinion, there was no finalised report, she did so because she understood "that the investigation had been referred back by the chief of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and might be reopened for further investigation".

Schools opening under Level 3: Clock ticking for govt to respond to Maimane's ConCourt challenge

The government's attorney has until Friday to file a responding affidavit to the One South Africa (OSA) Movement's challenge to the reopening of schools.

Speaking to News24, OSA attorney Eric Mabuza said Ramaphosa's and Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga's legal representation had both requested an extension until Monday.