27 Western Cape healthcare workers have died of Covid-19

People may clap for the work they do, or sing for them from balconies, but 27 healthcare workers in the Western Cape paid the ultimate price for being at the frontline of the fight against Covid-19.

One doctor, 13 nurses, and 13 workers from other sectors of the health department have succumbed to the virus in the province since the pandemic was first detected.

The province is currently moving through what it hopes is the peak, and then a subsequent decline in the high number of cases. 

Global death toll hits 500 000, Americans 'ignoring health guidelines' - International Covid-19 news

The global death toll from the coronavirus pandemic has topped half a million. In another grim milestone, the number of infections recorded worldwide rose to more than 10 million, according to an AFP tally, complicating efforts to ease restrictions on debilitated economies.

And, a spike in US coronavirus infections was fuelled in large part by people ignoring public health guidelines to keep their distance and wear masks, the government's top infectious disease official said.

As the UK's Covid-19 infections soared in the past months, the government reached for what it hoped could be a game changer – a smartphone app that could automate some of the work of human contact tracers. But months later, the NHS tracing app is facing serious defects. 

Pictured: A woman shops in Scotland, as the country eases lockdown restrictions. (Getty Images)

Parents arrested for disrupting 'unsafe' schools in Mpumalanga

A councillor and an elderly man are among 13 people arrested for allegedly storming into schools and forcing pupils out of their classrooms, claiming that they were not safe from the Covid-19 pandemic. 

This comes amid countrywide concern that schools may not be safe for children to return.

According to the police, the group, who are believed to be parents, went to schools at Seabe Village in Mmametlahake on Thursday. 

Global Covid-19 death toll passes 500 000

The global death toll from the coronavirus pandemic has topped half a million, as surging cases in Latin America and the US prompted some authorities to reconsider lifting lockdown measures.

In another grim milestone, the number of infections recorded worldwide rose to more than 10 million, according to an AFP tally, complicating efforts to ease restrictions on debilitated economies.

The US has recorded more than 125 000 deaths and 2.5 million cases - both around a quarter of the global totals. The second hardest-hit country Brazil registered 259 105 infections in the past seven days - the country's highest of any week during the pandemic.

The latest figures came as protesters in cities across Brazil - and as far away as Stockholm, London and Barcelona - held demonstrations against President Jair Bolsonaro, who has said the virus is akin to a "little flu" and railed against stay-at-home measures.

- AFP 

Got a child in matric? 

The final school year is stressful as it is - but more so because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Lindsy Carter-Bolus, an experienced Professional Certified Coach, teacher and mother of three she shares advice to students getting back into schooling after a long lockdown.

She provides practical tips on getting back into the schooling routine, and embracing the new normal. 

Restaurants fight alcohol ban, confusion over hotel operations, standoff between taxi industry and govt heats up 

Here are some stories from today you may have missed

The Restaurants Association of SA has demanded that the government lift its ban on restaurants serving alcohol with sit-down meals. From Monday, restaurants can finally reopen since the beginning of the national lockdown. Restaurants have now, however, complained that the ban on serving alcohol will render most establishments unable to reopen because it will be infeasible from a business point of view.

Meanwhile, there appears to be confusion over whether hotels can reopen for leisure purposes. A hotel group and a tourism council said earlier today that hotels can operate for this purpose, saying that some hotels were already opened - but this was later retracted. While the Tourism Department warned that no leisure stayovers may take place, but this goes against new government regulations, which are said not to prohibit the reopening of the sector for leisure purposes.

A number of taxis had on Monday operated at 100% capacity - defying the government’s 70% capacity regulations. Tensions between taxi associations and the government are boiling over, with associations complaining that capacity restrictions are having severe financial impacts on the industry. Here is an explainer of the standoff between taxi associations and the government.

Pictured: Customers sit at tables separated by dividers outside Boucherie restaurant in New York City, as the city relaxed its lockdown restrictions. (Noam Galai/Getty Images)

More South African airports to open as aviation industry gradually resume flights

While more local airports will be allowed to operate for domestic flights from 1 July, all international passenger flights are prohibited except those flights authorised by Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula, and only for repatriation of South African citizens and medical evacuation. 

Lone taxi association adheres to 70% load, while others in Gauteng re-introduce 100%

Faraday Taxi Association (FTA) says it will adhere to 70% loading capacity.Other taxi associations announced on Sunday that they will return to 100% loading capacity.This comes after Santaco announced this directive after failed negotiations with the government. 

Cyril Ramaphosa | Stigmatisation of people who have tested positive with coronavirus 'must stop'

There have been disturbing reports of individuals being ostracised from their communities and of communities protesting against coronavirus patients being admitted to local hospitals and clinics. This must stop, writes President Cyril Ramaphosa in his weekly newsletter.

Covid-19 wrap | Mexico, Brazil see record coronavirus cases, LA shuts bars

- Mexico posts more than 4 000 new confirmed coronavirus cases - health ministry

- Virus death toll hits 500 000, LA shuts bars again as US struggles

- Australia sees biggest daily rise in Covid-19 cases in two months

Coronavirus: Taxi drivers divided over defying government's lockdown capacity regulations

Taxi drivers in some areas on Monday vowed to honour associations' calls to defy government's regulations on passenger capacity and travel permits, while others were reluctant and said they would comply with Covid-19 protocols.

'Poor social distancing, not wearing masks': People letting guard down at a most crucial time, says Mkhize

South Africans seem to be becoming fatigued and letting their guards down at a time when Covid-19 infections are expected to surge, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize says. 

Adriaan Basson | Covid-19: Carnage in Eastern Cape, while people still not wearing masks

It is extremely selfish and obnoxious not to do the basic things required of each of us to keep our fellow citizens safe and healthy, writes Adriaan Basson.

Nelson Mandela Bay: Govt should consider Level 4 for metro, says acting mayor

Nelson Mandela Bay acting mayor Thsonono Buyeye believes the government should consider reverting the metro to Level 4, with burdened hospitals and a lack of social distancing among the growing concerns.

"The scary part is that the behaviour of some of the residents does not seem to suggest we have a crisis. People are carrying on as if everything is normal, there is no deadly virus. That is a sad part," he said.

Coronavirus morning update: Latest on surge in Gauteng cases, and concern over NMB hospitals

Gauteng is now recording more cases every day than at any point during the Western Cape's outbreak; and the crisis at some Nelson Mandela Bay hospitals has reached new lows.

Gauteng will overtake Western Cape with most Covid-19 cases in coming days, says Mkhize

Gauteng will emerge with the highest number of Covid-19 cases in the coming days, overtaking the Western Cape, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said.

In a statement on Sunday, the minister announced that the latest cumulative number of cases in the country was 138 134, with 43 new deaths taking the total to 2 456. 

Eastern Cape healthcare has collapsed: ‘Sick people are fighting each other’

The Eastern Cape healthcare system has collapsed, say doctors and healthcare workers who are employed in the province.

“We are sitting with a situation where patients are lying in the corridors of hospitals like Livingstone in Port Elizabeth and are dying, and there may soon be a similar situation Dora Nginza in Zwide,” a doctor told City Press’ sister publication, Rapport.

There are now 138 134 coronavirus cases in the country and 2456 deaths, health minister Zweli Mkhize said.

Limpopo's Provincial Coronavirus Command Council (PCCC) has accused some teachers of submitting fake doctor's certificates, on their vulnerability to Covid-19 because of comorbidities, to avoid returning to work on 6 July.

In a statement released after its meeting on Sunday, the council said education authorities had received more than 700 applications from teachers to be exempt from attending school due to comorbidities, but only 400 had been granted. 

It said they were still seeing suspicious medical certificates being provided with applications "from a certain section of doctors".

Taxis will resume transporting passengers at 100% capacity, Santaco said in a briefing on Sunday.

Its president, Phillip Taaibosch, said this decision was taken because the association had received no cooperation from government after scheduled meetings with Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula never materialised.

Taaibosch said they were aware that their taxis could be impounded but said that, should this be the case, they would be forced to park all their taxis until the impounded ones were released.

Santaco said they would still adhere to regulations on sanitising and that all passengers would wear masks.

It promised that there would be no violence.   

There are 34 285 confirmed coronavirus cases in Gauteng, with 8580 recoveries and 166 deaths.

A total number of 1332 of people are currently hospitalised in the public and private facility.

"The Gauteng Department of Health has seen an increase in the number of Covid-19 cases across the hospitals over the last 14 days which resulted to a high demand for oxygen and ventilators.

"As more Covid-19 cases are reported, number of admissions and bed occupancy rate for critical patients has increased which put more pressure on ventilators, oxygen points and oxygen supplies," the Gauteng health department said in a statement on Sunday.

European experts are alarmed by the botched response to the coronavirus crisis in the US

Experts in Europe are looking on in horror as the US coronavirus outbreak continues to worsen, in contrast to declines in their own countries.

As the pandemic first began to sweep across the world in the first few months of the year, many nations in Europe were caught off-guard, much as the US was.

Infection rates climbed steeply in both continents.

More than 10 million cases of the new coronavirus have been officially declared around the world, half of them in Europe and the United States, according to an AFP tally at 09:30 GMT on Sunday based on official sources.

At least 10 003 942 infections, including 498 779 deaths, have been registered globally.

Europe remains the hardest hit continent with 2 637 546 cases including 195 975 fatalities, while the United States has 2 510 323 infections including 125 539 deaths.

The rate of infections worldwide continues to rise, with one million new cases recorded in just six days.

The tallies, using data collected by AFP from national authorities and information from the World Health Organisation (WHO), probably reflect only a fraction of the actual number of infections.

Many countries are testing only symptomatic or the most serious cases and some do not have the capacity to carry out widescale testing.

- AFP

No more money for Covid-19

Provinces are running out of funds needed to create infrastructure to help cater for growing numbers of Covid-19 coronavirus patients.

WATCH | Covid-19: Inside a NMB hospital where dirt lines hallways, doctors clean wards

The crisis at some Nelson Mandela Bay hospitals has reached new lows as doctors are having to clean wards and wash bed linen, while dirt stands in hallways amid crippling staff shortages.

The total number of people to test positive for Covid-19 worldwide has passed 10 million, according to Johns Hopkins university.

News24 readers adapting well to lockdown life despite frustration over regulations - poll

Despite unhappiness over lockdown regulations, most News24 readers appear to be adjusting well to lockdown life, adapting relatively to the demands of working from or studying at home, and accepting limitations on their freedoms.

New research offers details about the mysterious 'Covid toes' symptom - but raises questions, too

Dermatologists detected an usual symptom among coronavirus patients in April: purple, swollen toes that appeared frostbitten.

kykNET's eNuus impacted by Covid-19 case as eMedia shuts newsroom for deep-clean

eMedia's daily Afrikaans TV news bulletin eNuus produced for kykNET (DStv 144) and kykNET & Kie (DStv 145) on MultiChoice satellite pay-TV service was disrupted on Saturday after a colleague tested positive for Covid-19. The Hyde Park newsroom in Johannesburg has been shut down for deep cleaning.

OPINION | Pitting health against economy is a road to disaster

Across Africa there have been strident, apparently contradictory Covid-19 calls made to governments by concerned citizens, health care workers, economists and businesspeople.

GRAPHICS | Gauteng now recording more Covid-19 cases a day than the Western Cape has at any point

South Africa's most populous province, Gauteng, is now recording more Covid-19 cases every day than at any point during the Western Cape's outbreak.

WATCH | 'I don't sleep. I'm always getting Covid-19 calls' - PE undertaker called on to store bodies

One of Port Elizabeth's biggest funeral parlour services says the phone is constantly ringing as hospitals and families look for safe spaces to store the bodies of Covid-19 patients.

Covid-19: Apathy? Just 37% of News24 readers expect to be infected, News24/Ipsos poll finds

A News24/Ipsos poll has revealed what appears to be high levels of apathy among News24 readers toward Covid-19, and particularly among young people.

Coronavirus morning update: Nurse tells of Covid-19 'war', latest on UIF, and update on regulations

A Groote Schuur Hospital nurse describes Covid-19 as "a war"; UIF’s great struggle; and Level 3: you can visit friends and family at casinos, restaurants - but not at home.

As of today, the cumulative number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in South Africa is 131 800, with 7 210 new cases recorded in the last 24 hours. 

73 new deaths have been recorded.

3 from KwaZulu Natal, 13 from Eastern Cape, 17 from Gauteng Province and 40 from Western Cape. This brings the total deaths to 2 413.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the United States rose to more than 2.5 million on Saturday, according to a Reuters tally, as states including Arizona and Florida saw record rises.

More than 125 000 Americans have died of Covid-19, the highest known death toll from the disease in the world.