The SA death toll hits 15 265, while the number of cases now sits at 644 438.

 The total number of recoveries is now 573 003- a recovery rate of 88,9%.

Here are five stories that made headlines on Thursday

Cabinet has approved the extension of the national state of disaster by another month. This was announced following a virtual meeting on Wednesday. Cabinet said the decision was taken in order to “continue giving effect to regulations that remain relevant to managing the spread of Covid-19 infections”.

Discovery Health Insurance says a third of South African adults have likely been infected with Covid-19. According to the health insurer, the real Covid-19 death toll is around 40 000, with another 11 000 people likely to die before the end of the year.

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde has pleaded with President Cyril Ramaphosa for the reopening of all sectors of the economy and the resumption of international travel. Winde said that opening up the economy will help fight the second pandemic, which is unemployment. He added, “All indicators confirm that the Western Cape has moved into the recovery phase of its pandemic”.

Meanwhile, with a possible move to Level 1 Covid-19 restrictions President Cyril Ramaphosa said government is considering input from various parts of society, including religious leaders. Level 1 was originally envisioned to see the return of sit-down restaurants, hair care, and untrammelled shopping.

In other news, Sanlam has reported a 10% increase in headline earnings in the first half of the year. The insurer benefited from not having to raise Covid-19 provisions because its actuarial models provided for the current scenario. The insurer however noted a R3 billion Covid-19 impact on its operations which included its share of the provisions that its short-term arm, Santam, has made business interruption claims.

-Compiled by Nokuthula Khanyile

         

Cabinet approves extension of national state of disaster by another month

She said they welcomed the drop in the number of new confirmed Covid-19 cases over the past few weeks and the improved recovery rate to 87 percent.

"Cabinet thanks all South Africans for playing their part in adhering to restrictions to flatten the curve. We commend the dedication and sacrifice of all health professionals who have been our frontline defence against the virus."

On the Auditor-General's report into Covid-19 funding, Williams said they reiterated their resolution to continue decisively pursuing all those found to have abused these funds, irrespective of who they were.

Williams announced that a deputy had been appointed to Hawks head Lieutenant-General Godfrey Lebeya. 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 27.97 million, death toll at 903 920

More than 27.97 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 903 920 have died, according to a Reuters tally.

Infections have been reported in more than 210 countries and territories since the first cases were identified in China in December 2019-

Meanwhile, Singapore Airlines said Thursday it was cutting about 4 300 jobs - about 20 percent of the workforce - due to the devastating impact of the coronavirus, and warned any recovery would be "long and fraught with uncertainty".

SIA is the latest airline to announce massive layoffs as the global aviation industry faces its greatest-ever crisis due to travel restrictions to fight the spread of coronavirus.

The city-state's flag carrier said about 1 900 positions had already been eliminated in recent months due to a recruitment freeze, natural attrition and voluntary departures, reducing further expected job cuts to around 2 400.

Positions are being cut across full-service Singapore Airlines, regional carrier SilkAir and budget airline Scoot in Singapore and overseas.

"The future remains extremely challenging," said Singapore Airlines chief executive Goh Choon Phong.

"Given the expectation that the road to recovery will be long and fraught with uncertainty, it has come to the point where we have to make the painfully difficult decision to implement involuntary staff reduction measures."

He said Singapore Airlines was more vulnerable than other major carriers around the world, as it did not have a domestic market and is wholly dependent on international routes.

Lockdown: Western Cape calls for resumption of international travel, opening of economy

On Friday, the Western Cape government will discuss the further opening of the economy and adopt an official position to present to Ramaphosa during the next round of consultations.  

"We must open up all sectors of the economy and allow for international travel in line with clear health guidelines and in acknowledgement of individual responsibility."

We must treat our residents as responsible partners in our continued efforts to keep Covid-19 on the decline," Winde said in a statement of Thursday.

Mkhize finally makes MAC recommendations public.

He said by opening up all sectors they could prevent the deadly second pandemic of joblessness, which will hit vulnerable communities the hardest.

Questions over Russia vaccine study 'inconsistencies'  

The Lancet medical journal said Thursday it had asked authors of a study on a potential Russian Covid-19 vaccine for clarifications after their research came under scrutiny.

Russia announced last month that its vaccine, named "Sputnik V" after the Soviet-era satellite that was the first launched into space in 1957, had already received approval.

This raised concerns among Western scientists over a lack of safety data, with some warning that moving too quickly on a vaccine could be dangerous.

Russian researchers published their trial findings last week in the Lancet, meaning their research had undergone review from a selection of their peers.

It said that the vaccine had proven to be "safe and well-tolerated" among a few dozen volunteers. However an open letter signed this week by more than 30 Europe-based experts cast doubt on the findings, pointing towards "potential data inconsistencies".

The researchers identified what they said appeared to be a number of duplications in figures presented and concluded that the data within the study was "highly unlikely" to be correct.

The lead study author was quoted Thursday by Russia's RIA Novosti news agency saying he rejected the letter's claims.

A spokeswoman for The Lancet told AFP that they were aware of the open letter. "We have shared the letter directly with the authors and encouraged them to engage in the scientific discussion," she said.

The spokeswoman added that the research had been reviewed by independent experts before publication. The pandemic has seen an unprecedented mobilisation of funding and research to rush through a vaccine that can protect billions of people worldwide.

Pharma giant AstraZeneca said this week it was halting Phase 3 trials of its candidate vaccine, developed with the University of Oxford, after one volunteer fell ill.

- AFP

WHO says $700 million raised so far for Covid-19 vaccines initiative for poor

International donors have raised $700 million - less than half the target - to purchase future Covid-19 vaccines for poor countries in a global initiative to ensure eventual vaccines do not go only to rich countries, a World Health Organisation official said on Thursday.

The COVAX Advanced Market Commitment has an initial target of $2 billion to buy the vaccines.

"Up to today, what has been mobilised so far is $700 million ... So there is a great deal of work to be done to diversify the possible sources of funding," Matshidiso Moeti, Africa regional director for the WHO, told an online press briefing.

COVAX is co-led by the GAVI Vaccine Alliance, the WHO and the CEPI Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations. Its aim is to deliver 2 billion doses of effective, approved Covid-19 vaccines by the end of 2021.

At least eight African countries, including South Africa, Gabon, Namibia and Equatorial Guinea had agreed to self-finance access to the vaccine, Moeti said.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said last month the continent had started to slowly "bend the curve" of Covid-19 infections as measures like mask-wearing and social distancing slow the spread of the pandemic.

- REUTERS 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Covid-19 wrap | AstraZeneca to know by year-end if vaccine works, Trump admits playing down virus

 - President Donald Trump admits he tried to minimise the seriousness of the threat from Covid-19 at the outset of the pandemic.

 - AstraZeneca should still know before the end of the year whether its experimental vaccine protects people against Covid-19.

 - More quiet zones in high-risk indoor spaces could help to cut coronavirus contagion risks, researchers have said.

Coronavirus (Covid-19) update from Cabinet

Cabinet has extended of the national state of disaster to 15 October 2020 in terms of Section 27(5)(c) of the Disaster Management Act, 2002 (57 of 2002). This is to continue giving effect to the regulations that remain relevant to manage the spread of Covid-19 infections, spokesperson Phumla Williams said in a statement. 

"Cabinet welcomes the drop in the number of new confirmed Covid-19 cases over the past few weeks and the improved recovery rate that has increased to 87%. The number of people requiring admission in our hospitals and the demand for Covid-19 tests have also dropped," the statement noted.

"Cabinet encourages all people in South Africa to download the free COVID Alert South Africa application from the Apple App Store or Google Play. The Department of Health introduced the app as another tool to alert South Africans if they have been exposed to someone with Covid-19."

Alert Level 1 could be coming next week. Here’s what may change – and what won’t

Alert Level 1 could be coming soon, President Cyril Ramaphosa suggested on Wednesday, telling editors to "watch this space next week".

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has also suggested that debate is ongoing about the move to less onerous restrictions on citizens, as ongoing monitoring shows no new surge in infections, and no reason for concern about the readiness of the health system to deal with cases of Covid-19. 

There is no official word on just what Level 1 will look like, with Ramaphosa saying the government is considering input from various parts of society, including religious leaders who would like to see worship in groups of more than 50.

But widespread and ongoing consultation and lobbying has yielded some hints on what may be in store.

Speak softly and scatter fewer coronavirus particles, say researchers

TOKYO – More quiet zones in high-risk indoor spaces, such as hospitals and restaurants, could help to cut coronavirus contagion risks, researchers have said, after a study showed that lowering speaking volume can reduce the spread of the disease.

In efforts to rein in transmission, a reduction of 6 decibels in average speech levels can have the same effect as doubling a room's ventilation, scientists said on Wednesday, in an advance copy of a paper detailing their study.

"The results suggest that public health authorities should consider implementing 'quiet zones' in high-risk indoor environments, such as hospital waiting rooms or dining facilities," wrote the six researchers from the University of California, Davis.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) changed its guidance in July to acknowledge the possibility of aerosol transmission, such as during choir practice, or when in restaurants or fitness classes.

Microscopic droplets ejected while speaking evaporate to leave behind aerosol particles big enough to carry viable virus, the paper showed. An increase of about 35 decibels in loudness, or the difference between whispering and shouting, boosts the particle emission rate by 50 times.

Not all environments equal

Normal conversation is above the 10-decibel range, while ambient noise in restaurants is around 70.

"Not all indoor environments are equal in terms of aerosol transmission risk," said lead researcher William Ristenpart.

"A crowded but quiet classroom is much less dangerous than an uncrowded karaoke bar where patrons are socially distanced but talking and singing over loud music."

The global death toll from the virus passed 900 000 on Wednesday, as worldwide cases topped 27.7 million, according to a Reuters tally.

An average of more than 5 600 people die each day, according to Reuters calculations.

 - REUTERS

Covid-19: Half of the survivors from one of Italy's epicentres haven't recovered six months on

Six months after the coronavirus hit Bergamo, Lombardy's worst-hit province, which was Italy's worst hit region, nearly half of the survivors still haven't recovered, and are dealing with a range of problems. 

Pope John XXIII Hospital infectious disease specialist Dr. Serena Venturelli, who is one of the doctors working on a study of Covid-19's long term effects, told The Washington Post, "Almost half of the patients say no," when asked if they were cured. 

Bergamo is the city where a harrowing video was released in March showing an overwhelmed ICU dealing with a wave of patients.

At one point, so much oxygen was needed for 92 people on ventilators that oxygen had to be piped in using an emergency tank, according to The Post.

Four ways to avoid catching the Covid-19 virus indoors

The virus is known to spread inside confined spaces, such as restaurants, workplaces, schools and places of worship – but there are ways to keep safe.

The new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, typically lingers in public spaces. And while strict non-pharmaceutical interventions (?NPIs)?, such as physical distancing and good hand hygiene, can be highly effective in reducing transmission, they have their limits.

Since schools have reopened, along with restaurants and office buildings and other indoor spaces, good ventilation, air filtration and humidity levels are key to reducing the spread of the virus.

The purpose of ventilation

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines published in July, a “well-maintained and operated system can reduce the spread of the virus in indoor spaces by increasing the rate of air change, reducing recirculation of air, and increasing the use of outdoor air”.

Apple creates a face mask with a 'unique' look, designed by engineers who work on iPhone, iPad

 - Apple's design teams have created a custom face mask for Apple employees.

 - The mask has a "unique" look, with large nose and chin coverage, according to Bloomberg, which first reported on its development.

 - Since the outbreak of the pandemic, Apple has worked to provide PPE like face masks and shields to healthcare workers.

India reports record daily jump of 95 735 coronavirus cases

BENGALURU – India reported record jumps in new coronavirus infections and deaths on Thursday, taking its tally of cases past 4.4 million, health ministry figures showed.

In the last 24 hours, 95 735 new infections were detected, with 1 172 deaths, accounting for the highest single-day mortality figures in more than a month, to push the toll beyond 75 000.

Infections are growing faster in India than anywhere else in the world and the United States is the only nation worse affected.

 - REUTERS

Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 27.85 million, death toll at 902 216

More than 27.85 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 902 216 have died, according to a Reuters tally.

Infections have been reported in more than 210 countries and territories since the first cases were identified in China in December 2019.

 - REUTERS

Latest Covid-19 numbers: 15 168 deaths, 642 431 cases and an 88.7% recovery rate

South Africa had recorded 82 more Covid-19-related deaths by Wednesday, bringing the death toll to 15 168.

The fatalities have been reported in the following provinces: 10 in KwaZulu-Natal, 27 in Gauteng, five in the Eastern Cape, eight in the Free State, 10 in the North West and 22 in the Western Cape.

A cumulative total of 642 431 confirmed Covid-19 cases in South Africa have been recorded, with 569 935 recoveries, which slightly improves South Africa's recovery rate to 88.7%.

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Coronavirus morning update: PPE corruption akin to 'murder', Oxford Covid-19 vaccine trial halted

The president has equated corruption scandals relating to PPE to “murder”, and the Oxford's Covid-19 vaccine trial has been halted after a volunteer fell ill.

Latest news:

The government procurement system must be overhauled, President Cyril Ramaphosa told the South African National Editors' Forum (SANEF) on Wednesday evening.

He equated corruption scandals and over-inflating of prices relating to personal protective equipment (PPE) to "murder".

Speaking on the country's economic recovery, the president did not mince words, saying SA had entered a "new era " for implementation, with a timeline of just two to three weeks for formulating an economic recovery plan.

The SA death toll hits 15 168, while the number of cases now sits at 642 431.

The total number of recoveries is now 569 935- a recovery rate of 88,7%.

 Here are five stories that made headlines on Wednesday

The ANC in parliament wants answers from Cabinet over rampant corruption in several government departments. Party chief whip Pemmy Majodina said Auditor-General Kimi Makwetu’s first report reflected “substantive transgressions” and the flouting of the Public Finance Management Act Regulations.

A Cape Town pulmonologist Dr Bilal Gafoor has had his first weekend off during the Covid-19 pandemic . “I am tired, said Gafoor. Detailing his experience, Gafoor said at one point, he would scrub the inside of his car, change his clothes in the garage and bath before going to greet the family.

Meanwhile, Cape Town’s popular Lion’s Head reopened for hikes on Wednesday with the SA National Parks (SANParks) rangers enforcing strict Covid-19 safety precautions. Rangers at various entry points will check for compliance with Covid-19 regulations set by the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC).

A Covid-19 survivor, Rahemi Motshegoa has emphasised the importance of mental strength required to survive the virus. The virus has claimed more than 15 000 lives in South Africa. Motshegoa described his experience of excruciating pain as he fought to recover.

In other news, an Oxfort Covid-19 vaccine trial has been halted after one of its UK participants developed a “potentially unexplained illness”. The vaccine trial will also be halted in South Africa. It was developed by the University of Oxford in partnership with AstraZeneca, who described the halt as a “routine action”.

-Compiled by Nokuthula Khanyile      

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

US Covid-19 deaths surpass 190 000, Iowa and South Dakota emerge as new hotspots

Coronavirus deaths in the United States topped 190 000 on Wednesday along with a spike in new cases in the US Midwest with states like Iowa and South Dakota emerging as the new hotspots in the past few weeks.

Iowa currently has one of the highest rates of infection in the nation, with 15% of tests last week coming back positive. Nearby South Dakota has a positive test rate of 19% and North Dakota is at 18%, according to a Reuters analysis.

The surge in Iowa and South Dakota is being linked to colleges reopening in Iowa and an annual motorcycle rally last month in Sturgis, South Dakota.

Kansas, Idaho and Missouri are also among the top 10 states for positive test rates.

New coronavirus infections have fallen for seven weeks in a row for the United States with a death rate of about 6 100 per week from Covid-19 in the last month.

On a per capita basis, the United States ranks 12th in the world for the number of deaths, with 58 deaths per 100 000 people, and 11th in the world for cases, with 1 933 cases per 100 000 residents, according to a Reuters analysis.

Coronavirus toll at 11:00 (GMT) Wednesday

Paris – The novel coronavirus has killed at least 898 503 people since the outbreak emerged in China last December, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP at 11:00 (GMT) on Wednesday.

At least 27 631 550 cases of coronavirus have been registered. Of these, at least 18 332 900 people are now considered recovered.

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.

On Tuesday, 4 802 new deaths and 228 717 new cases were recorded worldwide. Based on the latest reports, the countries with the most new deaths were India with 1 115 new deaths, followed by Mexico with 703 and Brazil with 504.

The United States is the worst-hit country with 189 698 deaths from 6 328 054 cases. At least 2 359 111 people have been declared recovered.

After the US, the hardest-hit countries are Brazil with 127 464 deaths from 4 162 073 cases, India with 73 890 deaths from 4 370 128 cases, Mexico with 68 484 deaths from 642 860 cases, and United Kingdom with 41 586 deaths from 352 560 cases.

The country with the highest number of deaths compared to its population is Peru with 91 fatalities per 100 000 inhabitants, followed by Belgium (86), Spain (63), the United Kingdom (61), and Chile (61).

China – excluding Hong Kong and Macau – has to date declared 85 146 cases, including 4 634 deaths and 80 347 recoveries.

Latin America and the Caribbean overall has 300 132 deaths from 7 910 027 cases, Europe 219 420 deaths from 4 294 551 infections, while the United States and Canada have 198 884 deaths from 6 460 551 cases.

Asia has reported 108 767 deaths from 6 010 154 cases, the Middle East 38 767 deaths from 1 610 413 cases, Africa 31 700 deaths from 1 315 647 cases, and Oceania 833 deaths from 30 208 cases.

As a result of corrections by national authorities or late publication of data, the figures updated over the past 24 hours may not correspond exactly to the previous day's tallies.

 - AFP

Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 27.66 million, death toll at 897 349

More than 27.66 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 897 349 have died, according to a Reuters tally.

Infections have been reported in more than 210 countries and territories since the first cases were identified in China in December 2019.

 - REUTERS

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Covid wrap | England limits gatherings to 6, halt in vaccine trial not a setback - UK minister

 - AstraZeneca Plc said it has paused global trials of its experimental coronavirus vaccine because of an unexplained illness in a study participant.

 - Mainstream Christian figures have criticised South Korea's churches for spreading fake news, aggravating the Covid-19 outbreak and depleting public resources.

 - The Czech government will order the wearing of face masks inside buildings across the country from Thursday.

Pandemic threatens lives of millions of children - UN

Paris – Disruptions to health services due to the pandemic are putting millions of additional lives at risk worldwide, the United Nations said on Wednesday, warning that Covid-19 could reverse decades of progress in reducing child mortality.

The past 30 years have seen remarkable strides forward in preventing or treating causes of infant deaths, including premature births and pneumonia.

New mortality estimates published by the UN's children's fund UNICEF, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Bank Group found that 2019 saw the lowest number of global under-five deaths on record.

Last year, around 5.2 million children died due to preventable illness, compared with 12.5 million in 1990. But it warned that the pandemic risked undoing all this by cutting routine child and maternal health services.

A UNICEF survey across 77 countries found 68% reported at least some disruption in child health checks and immunisations.

Henrietta Fore, UNICEF executive director, said that children and mothers particularly in low- and middle-income countries were being denied access to healthcare as Covid-19 cases clog national infrastructure.

"The global community has come too far towards eliminating preventable child deaths to allow the pandemic to stop us in our tracks," she said. "Without urgent investments to restart disrupted health systems and services, millions of children under five, especially newborns, could die."

 - AFP

'The mental strength required to survive this is huge' - Covid-19 survivor shares his journey

A Covid-19 survivor who has shared his journey of recovery has emphasised the importance of the mental strength required to survive the virus that has currently claimed more than 15 000 lives in South Africa.

"The mental strength required to survive this is huge, and fortunately I am strong mentally and that gave motivation to my wife and daughter, that if papa looks like this we can survive, [because] he is not as bad as we think he is," Ramohemi Motshegoa says.

Motshegoa was speaking at a virtual briefing by the Gauteng government titled "Surviving Covid-19: The journey of defeating Covid-19".

Although Motshegoa was putting on a brave face for his family while fighting the virus at home in isolation, he knew – in his words – that he was feeling one of the worst experiences that he had ever had in his life.

How coronavirus detected in the blood can predict more severe cases of Covid-19

Imagine if a simple blood test could predict the outcome of Covid-19 and help alleviate the most severe effects? According to new research, it may be a possibility.

A blood test upon arrival at a hospital which shows the presence or absence of SARS-CoV-2 in the blood would be able to help act as a “triage” system to help identify those with severe Covid-19. When the virus is present in the blood, there is a higher chance of a more severe outcome.

Does this sound too good to be true? According to researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Danderyd Hospital, those without SARS-CoV-2 in blood samples may recover from Covid-19 more quickly. The study was recently published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Higher viral level in blood equals higher chance of death

The researchers took blood samples from Covid-19 patients admitted to the Department of Infectious Diseases, Danderyd Hospital, Sweden. Those patients with detectable levels of SARS-CoV-2 in their blood were seven times more likely to develop critical symptoms and eight times more likely to die within 28 days, the researchers revealed.

Latin America and Caribbean surpass 300 000 Covid-19 deaths - AFP

Montevideo – Latin America and the Caribbean on Tuesday surpassed 300 000 deaths from Covid-19, with hard-hit Peru alone adding more than 30 000 new virus deaths, according to an AFP count of official data.

Brazil continues to be the most-affected country in the region. It also has the third-highest caseload in the world, with 4 162 073 reported cases, and the second-highest death toll, with 127 464.

But Peru, with 93.28 deaths per 100 000 inhabitants, has the highest mortality rate in the region, according to a ranking published by Johns Hopkins University.

 - AFP

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Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 27.57 million, death toll at 895 990

More than 27.57 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 895 990 have died, according to a Reuters tally.

Infections have been reported in more than 210 countries and territories since the first cases were identified in China in December 2019.

 - REUTERS

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Latest Covid-19 numbers: 15 086 deaths, 640 441 cases and an 88.6% recovery rate

South Africa has recorded 82 more Covid-19-related deaths since Monday, bringing the death toll to 15 086. 

The fatalities have been reported in the following provinces: 27 in KwaZulu-Natal, 15 in Gauteng, nine in the Eastern Cape, six in the Free State, five in the Northern Cape and 20 in the Western Cape.

Oxford's Covid-19 vaccine trial halted after unexplained illness

Trials of one of the most promising, frontrunner vaccines against Covid-19 have been halted after one of its participants developed a “potentially unexplained illness” .

Coronavirus morning update: WHO backs SA's Covid fight, but Mkhize warns 'not over the worst yet'

SA is doing its best, we know it's very complicated but it is doing its best, WHO says; and the health minister says we are over the surge - but we are not over the worst yet.

SA COVID-19 DAILY STATS

The Covid-19 death toll has hit 15 086, while the number of cases now sits at 640 441.

The total number of recoveries is now 567 729 - a recovery rate of 88.6%.

As of today, the total number of confirmed #COVID19 cases is 640 441, the total number of deaths is 15 086 and the total number of recoveries is 567 729. pic.twitter.com/DIweTdvAt6

— Dr Zweli Mkhize (@DrZweliMkhize) September 8, 2020

ICYMI: South Africa reached out to us, not through weakness, but strength - WHO commends SA

World Health Organisation (WHO) director-general Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus has commended South Africa for the significant reduction in the number of Covid-19 cases and deaths in the country.

In a briefing on Monday, Ghebreyesus said: "South Africa is doing its best. We know it is very complicated but it is doing its best and we are very glad to partner and send our colleagues there to work with [the country] and it's an honour for us to support any country.

"With the current trend, we hope to further push it to a decline and further control the pandemic."

"I would like to thank the leadership of President, [Cyril] Ramaphosa, not only in South Africa but in the whole continent, by helping to develop the continental strategy; one continental strategy and helping the continent to move as one," he added.

The organisation said South Africa reached out to it through strength - not weakness.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Covid-19 wrap | Nigerian doctors strike again over benefits, China hails virus success

Nigerian resident doctors began their second strike of the year over pay and working conditions amid the spread of the new coronavirus, the doctors' union told Reuters on Tuesday.

The strike began on Monday, and includes 16 000 resident doctors out of a total of 42 000 doctors in the country, Dr Aliyu Sokomba, President of the National Association of Resident Doctors, told Reuters."It is an indefinite strike until issues are resolved," he said.

"All resident doctors at the Covid-19 centres have joined the strike."Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, has a total of 55 160 confirmed coronavirus infections and 1 061 deaths. Resident doctors are medical school graduates training as specialists.

They are pivotal to frontline healthcare in Nigeria as they dominate the emergency wards in its hospitals.The group last went on strike in June, demanding better benefits and more protective equipment for battling the coronavirus.

They are still demanding, among other things, life insurance and hazard allowance.