WRAP | WHO commends SA on declining Covid-19 infections

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has commended South Africa for its declining confirmed Covid-19 cases.

In a statement on Thursday, the WHO said it was greatly encouraged by the ongoing measures to suppress the spread of SARs-COV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.

It added South Africa had taken decisive steps such as "instituting response co-ordination mechanisms at all levels, setting up control interventions for all critical pillars of response and imposing public health and social measures, including movement restrictions, curfews, closure of businesses, schools and places of worship".

More than 100 die as Covid-19 storm rips through SA's prisons

The number of Covid-19 cases exploded in South Africa's prisons as more than 4 000 officials and over 2 000 inmates tested positive for the virus.

By 23 August, a total of 4 136 officials and 2 336 inmates had been infected with Covid-19.

The virus also claimed the lives of 60 officials and 43 inmates.

The Western Cape government is eagerly waiting for the regulations on international travel to be announced so that it can find out which countries will be able to fly to South Africa during Level 1.

Level 1 starts at midnight on Sunday, and international flights would resume from three major airports from October 1 after a massive global flight shut down to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Indonesia punishes people who don't wear masks by forcing them to dig graves for Covid-19 dead

Residents of a village Indonesia caught flouting the country's mask requirement put in place to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus are being put to work digging graves for Covid-19 victims.

Authorities in the Cerme district of Gresik Regency, East Java, told CNN that they are forcing anti-maskers to dig graves in an attempt to convince others to wear protective face coverings.

Coronavirus toll at 11:00 GMT Thursday

Paris – The novel coronavirus has killed at least 941 473 people since the outbreak emerged in China last December, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP at 11:00 (GMT) on Thursday.

At least 29 914 290 cases of coronavirus have been registered. Of these, at least 20 131 400 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 Wednesday, 5 954 new deaths and 282 592 new cases were recorded worldwide. Based on latest reports, the countries with the most new deaths were India with 1 132 new deaths, followed by Brazil with 987 and United States with 968.

The United States is the worst-hit country with 196 831 deaths from 6 631 561 cases. At least 2 525 573 people have been declared recovered.

After the US, the hardest-hit countries are Brazil with 134 106 deaths from 4 419 083 cases, India with 83 198 deaths from 5 118 253 cases, Mexico with 71 978 deaths from 680 931 cases, and United Kingdom with 41 684 deaths from 378 219 cases.

The country with the highest number of deaths compared to its population is Peru with 94 fatalities per 100 000 inhabitants, followed by Belgium with 86, Spain (65), Bolivia (64), and Brazil at 63.

 - AFP

Healthcare workers and Covid-19: Researchers looked at risk of transmission in a hospital setting

Among healthcare workers, infection rates are far higher than in the general population, adding another layer of risk to an already stressful job.

Healthcare workers have been at the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic, fighting day and night against the onslaught of the Covid-19 virus.

It's no secret that, among these professionals, infection rates are far higher than in the general population, adding another layer of risk to an already stressful job.

New research published in Thorax aims to add to the growing body of research on Covid-19 and healthcare workers by looking at asymptomatic spread in a hospital setting, and which type of worker is most susceptible to infection.

Flights out of SA are popping up fast – and going pretty cheap. Even from Cape Town.

 - Foreign airlines are rapidly listing flights to and from South Africa again, after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the opening of SA's borders from 1 October.

 - Airlines such as KLM and Air France are now taking bookings for flights directly from Cape Town to Amsterdam and Paris.

 - If you fancy spending December in London, you can get a return flight with BA for under R10,000.

 - More airlines are expected to reinstate commercial flights soon.

Data on Russia’s Covid-19 vaccine trial results ‘questionable’, say international researchers

Calls for access to the underlying data of the vaccine have been made in an open letter, signed by more than 30 scientists from several countries.

Russia registered the world's first Covid-19 vaccine in August, with President Vladimir Putin claiming that it is effective, forms a stable immunity and has gone through all necessary tests. 

Later that month, a registration certificate for the vaccine, named Sputnik V, stated that it can only be used in certain small groups of people as large clinical trials had not yet begun (late-phase clinical trials only began on 26 August).

Scientists across the globe voiced their concerns about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine as very few details about the research had been made public. 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Covid-19 wrap: Global cases cross 29.94m, 'alarming' transmissions in Europe, England cases up by 167%

Keeping you up to date on the latest novel coronavirus (Covid-19) news from around the world.

Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 29.94 million, death toll at 938 291

More than 29.94 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 938 291 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.

WHO Europe warns of 'alarming' virus transmission rates

Copenhagen – The World Health Organisation (WHO) warned on Thursday of "alarming rates of transmission" of Covid-19 across Europe and cautioned countries against shortening quarantine periods.

The WHO's regional director for Europe Hans Kluge said the number of coronavirus cases seen in September "should serve as a wake-up call for all of us".

"Although these numbers reflect more comprehensive testing, it also shows alarming rates of transmission across the region," he told an online press conference from Danish capital Copenhagen.

The health body also said it would not change its guidance calling for a 14-day quarantine period for anyone exposed to the novel coronavirus.

"Our quarantine recommendation of 14 days has been based on our understanding of the incubation period and transmission of the disease. We would only revise that on the basis of a change of our understanding of the science," WHO Europe's senior emergency officer Catherine Smallwood said.

In France for instance, the recommended length for self-isolation in case of exposure has been reduced to seven days.

It is 10 days in the UK and Ireland, and several more European countries, such as Portugal and Croatia, are currently considering reducing their recommendations.

 - AFP

Positive Covid-19 cases up 167% in England since end of August - tracing scheme

LONDON – There has been a 167% increase in the number of new people testing positive for Covid-19 in England, the National Health Service's test and trace scheme said on Thursday.

The scheme said positive cases have been rising since the start of July and are now double the number recorded when Test and Trace launched in May.

 - REUTERS

Global coronavirus cases to soon surpass 30 million - Reuters tally

Global coronavirus cases are expected to pass 30 million on Thursday, according to a Reuters tally, with the pandemic showing no signs of slowing.

India was firmly in focus as the latest epicentre, although North and South America combined accounted for almost half of the global cases.

Global new daily case numbers reached record levels in recent days and deaths neared 1 million as the international race to develop and market a vaccine heated up.

The official number of global coronavirus cases is now more than five times the number of severe influenza illnesses recorded annually, according to World Health Organisation (WHO) data.

Around the world, there have been almost 1 million deaths, considered a lagging indicator given the two-week incubation period of the virus. That has well exceeded the upper range of 290 000 to 650 000 annual deaths linked to influenza.

India on Wednesday became only the second country in the world, after the United States, to record more than 5 million cases.

The south Asian nation, the world's second-most populous country, has been reporting more new daily cases than the United States since mid-August and accounts for just over 16% of global known cases.

The United States has about 20% of all global cases, although it has just 4% of the world's population. Brazil, the third worst-hit country, accounts for roughly 15% of global cases.

 - REUTERS

India's coronavirus cases jump by daily record of 97 894

BENGALURU – India reported another record jump in daily coronavirus infections with 97 894 cases in the last 24 hours, data from the health ministry showed on Thursday.

With 5.12 million cases in all, India is the world's second-worst affected country, and trails only the United States, which has a caseload of around 6.6 million.

Deaths, which have been relatively low so far, are showing an uptick, and the country has recorded more than 1 000 deaths every day for the last two weeks.

On Thursday, the federal health ministry said 1 132 people died of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, taking total fatalities from the disease to 83 198.

 - REUTERS

Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 29.93 million, death toll at 937 842

More than 29.93 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 937 842 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

Millions of African children rely on TV education during pandemic

NAIROBI – Five-year-old Kenyan student Miguel Munene sits between his parents, holding their hands as he watches cartoon characters teaching him to pronounce "fish".

The television has replaced Munene's teachers and classmates after the government shut schools indefinitely in March to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. They are closed until at least January.

Many children don't have the option to learn online – the United Nations children's agency UNICEF says at least half of sub-Saharan Africa's schoolchildren do not have internet access.

So some, like Munene, watch a cartoon made by Tanzanian non-profit organisation Ubongo, which offers television and radio content for free to African broadcasters.

"Other programmes are just for fun, but Ubongo is helping children," Miguel’s mother, Celestine Wanjiru, told Reuters. "He can now differentiate a lot of shapes and colours, both in English and Swahili."

In March, programmes by Ubongo – the Kiswahili word for brain – were broadcast to an area covering about 12 million households in nine countries, said Iman Lipumba, Ubongo's head of communications. That rose to 17 million in 20 countries by August.

"The Covid-19 pandemic has really forced us to rapidly grow," Lipumba said.

A group of artists, innovators and educators set up Ubongo TV in Tanzania in 2014. It has received around $4 million in grants since, and earned $700 000 from YouTube, product sales, character licensing, and co-production of programmes.

 - REUTERS

(PHOTO: Issouf Sanogo/AFP)

The worst is behind us, but we cannot afford a second wave of infections - Ramaphosa

President Cyril Ramaphosa says South Africa is in a position to lift most regulations, but the country is not out of the woods yet with regard to the fight against Covid-19.

EXPLAINER | Covid-19 corruption, economic recovery: 10 take aways from Ramaphosa’s speech

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Wednesday the country would move to Level 1 of the lockdown at midnight on Sunday. 

Ramaphosa said due to less pressure on hospitals and reduced daily new Covid-19 infections, the country could move to a lower lockdown level.

News24 looks at 10 things you need to know from his speech, including progress on fighting Covid-19 corruption and gender-based violence. 

Coronavirus morning update: SA moving to lockdown Level 1; and update on PPE corruption

South Africa is moving to lockdown Level 1 - what you need to know; and the president says Covid-19 has exposed how corruption has infected society.

EXPLAINER | Liquor sales, new curfew: What Level 1 lockdown will look like

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Wednesday evening the country will move to a Level 1 lockdown at midnight on Sunday.

He also introduced relaxed curfew and liquor sale rules as well the reopening of the country's borders. 

In a televised address, Ramaphosa said as the country opened up, the greatest challenge - and its greatest task - was to ensure it avoided a second wave of Covid-19 infections. 

South Africa has recorded 1 923 new coronavirus cases bringing the total number of cases to 653 444.

64 new deaths take SA's Covid-19 fatalities to 15 705.

Recoveries now stand at 584 195 which translates to a recovery rate of 89,4%. 

FULL SPEECH | Level 1 changes to curfew, alcohol sales and travel as Ramaphosa eases restrictions

South Africa will be moving to Alert Level 1 of the lockdown on 20 September at midnight, six months after government declared the national lockdown, President Cyril Ramaphosa said in an address to the nation on Wednesday.

He said the country has “made remarkable progress” and succeeded in overcoming the worst phase of the pandemic while protecting the capacity of the health system.

The move removes many restrictions on economic activity.

Q&A on lockdown Level 1

What do you think of the announcement? Join News24's editor Adriaan Basson in discussion with subscribers.

Ramaphosa urges South Africans to use the Covid-19 tracing app – here’s how it works

On Wednesday, president Cyril Ramaphosa urged South Africans to use government's new coronavirus contact-tracing app, which was launched earlier this month.

"I want to make a call this evening to everyone who has a smartphone in South Africa to download the COVID Alert mobile app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store," Ramaphosa said during his address to the nation.

The app has been zero-rated by mobile networks, so you can download it without any data costs.

WRAP | 'We have withstood the coronavirus storm' - Ramaphosa announces move to lockdown Level 1, but warns country is not out of the woods just yet

There will be a gradual reopening of international travel, a new curfew and an easing of social gathering restrictions as the country shifts down to lockdown Level 1 from midnight on 20 September, President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced.

This will mean a further easing of regulations on social gatherings, as long as the number of people does not exceed 50% the gathering’s venue - but there is a cap of only 250 people for indoor events, and 500 people for outdoor events.

Curfew hours have changed from 00:00 to 04:00. Alcohol can now be sold from Monday to Friday until 17:00. Updated regulations will be published in due course.

 Business and leisure international travel will resume from 1 October, but travel may be restricted to and from high-risk countries. Only OR Tambo, King Shaka and Cape Town international airports will be open in the initial phases.

Social distancing and the use of masks in public spaces and during social gatherings are our most effective weapons for limiting the spread of the coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/ZHirmTyFBT

— Presidency | South Africa  (@PresidencyZA) September 16, 2020

Ramaphosa said tourist activity will be allowed.

People arriving in the country must produce a negative Covid-19 test result that is no more than 72-hours old. If they do not, they must be quarantined.

The number of people attending funerals can increase to 100, but night vigils are still prohibited. Gyms and theatres may now accommodate up to 50% of their venues’ capacities.

The easing of restrictions on alcohol sales under Level 1 must be done cautiously and responsibly to prevent harm to public health. pic.twitter.com/y2P1iDr863

— Presidency | South Africa  (@PresidencyZA) September 16, 2020

 Sanitation and mask wearing is still compulsory, as well as physical distancing.

Ramaphosa once again condemned gender-based violence during the lockdown, saying that there are 30 hotspots around the country where the problem is most rife. During Level 1, there will be improved support services in those hotspots.

Although we have managed to control the virus through strict lockdown measures, the threat of a ‘second wave’ of infections remains. Vital precautionary measures must be maintained to prevent a new spike in COVID-19 cases. pic.twitter.com/Onk2bHZzqe

— Presidency | South Africa  (@PresidencyZA) September 16, 2020

He also spoke about Covid-19-related corruption, saying progress was being made regarding misuse of funds. The Special Investigating Unit has submitted its first report on the matter to the president. He said all contracts awarded for Covid-19 services and goods will be made public.

’New normal’

The president addressed the nation on Wednesday night - exactly six months after the lockdown came into effect - after holding meetings with the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) and holding a special sitting of Cabinet.

There has been much speculation over the past week that there would be changes to the lockdown regulations, with Ramaphosa having last week hinted during a Q&A with journalists that a move to Level 1 lockdown was on the cards.

Ramaphosa says this alert level will be the “new normal” which will remain until the Covid-19 pandemic passes.

The country shifted to Level 2 almost a month ago to the day.

Ramaphosa said that the government’s economy recovery plan will be communicated soon, adding that some R30 billion has been paid out in social relief to people during this time. Around R42 billion has been paid out in wage support to workers. He said the solidarity fund has received about 3 000 donations.

The coronavirus pandemic has also caused hardship for many South Africans and their businesses. Government has provided a range of social and economic relief measures to help those affected. pic.twitter.com/nfkZ0oMxWY

— Presidency | South Africa  (@PresidencyZA) September 16, 2020

Ramaphosa announced that there will be increased testing as well as increased contact tracing to ensure the country gets a firmer grip on potential outbreaks. He encouraged the public to download the government’s Covid-19 app, which will alert them if they have come into contact with people who have been infected.

Second wave

He said the government will undertake a nationwide survey to estimate the extent of asymptomatic infections, by testing for Covid-19 antibodies.

Ramaphosa said the infection rate was seen to have significantly slowed down recently. He said just two months ago there were increases of about 12 000 cases a day, compared to about 2 000 now. He said the recovery rate, currently at 89%, could yet increase going forward. He said there has been a “gradual decline” in infections and hospitalisations.

Widespread testing and screening for the virus, as well as contributing to the development of a vaccine, form an important part of government’s COVID-19 response. pic.twitter.com/aFSxpDdhOt

— Presidency | South Africa  (@PresidencyZA) September 16, 2020

The president said the plan was now to ensure the country circumvents a “second wave” of infections, as has been seen in other countries, saying that some countries have seen a more severe problem during the second wave.

He said the country was also planning for when a vaccine is finally manufactured, saying that South Africa was working alongside the WHO to pull resources and support vaccine development, as well as accessing vaccines at a reasonable cost once available.

Ramaphosa said the economy and society has suffered during the pandemic, but citizens have remained resolute.

“We cannot afford a resurgence of infections, a second wave would be devastating. It is up to each and every one of us to ensure that this does not happen. As we settle into a new normal… we must continue to exercise every possible precaution to prevent infecting others.”

On a parting note, Ramaphosa encouraged the country to celebrate Heritage Month with the Jerusalema challenge.

- Compiled by Kerushun Pillay

Even if borders open, SA remains red-listed by many countries, and tourists may not come

President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to open South Africa's borders to international tourists – at least partially – in an announcement to the nation on Wednesday evening.

But that doesn’t mean they will come. South Africa remains on many so-called red-lists as far as leisure travel goes, even as infection numbers drop.

Wits University has resumed vaccinating in the Oxford Covid-19 vaccine trial, confirmed Professor Shabir Madhi who leads the Ox1nCov19 trial in South Africa.

He said the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority and local ethics committees had given the go-ahead.

“Pausing vaccination to review safety is evidence of the application of sound clinical practice and demonstrates the rigour of the independent oversight process under which this trial is being conducted,” said Madhi, who is the Executive Director of the Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytics Research Unit (VIDA), who leads the Ox1nCov19 trial in South Africa.

Read the full statement:

Wits University resumes vaccinating in the Oxford Covid-19 vaccine trial 

Wits University has resumed vaccinating in the Oxford Covid-19 vaccine trial currently also underway in the UK, Brazil and the US.

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority and local ethics committees this week approved resuming vaccination in South Africa. 

Vaccination in the Ox1nCov19 vaccine trial in the UK paused last week following a medical event in one trial participant in the UK. 

A spokesperson for the University of Oxford said on Saturday, 12 September that the UK’s independent review process had concluded and, following the recommendations of both the independent safety review committee and the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, the trials will recommence in the UK. 

Professor Shabir Madhi, Executive Director of the Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytics Research Unit (VIDA) who leads the Ox1nCov19 trial in South Africa confirmed today that vaccination resumed in South Africa on Tuesday 15 September, once local regulatory and ethics committees had given the go-ahead. 

“The South African study is overseen by the same independent Data and Safety Monitoring Committee [DSMC] as in the UK so all sites in South Africa paused vaccination. The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority [SAHPRA] and Wits University ethics committees have now approved resuming vaccination, and we have done so,” says Madhi. 

Globally some 18 000 individuals have received study vaccines as part of this trial. In large trials such as this it is expected that some participants will become unwell and every case has to be carefully evaluated to ensure careful assessment of safety. 

The University of Oxford spokesperson said, “We cannot disclose medical information about the illness for reasons of participant confidentiality.” 

However, the DSMC review concluded that the event in the UK was unlikely to be related to the vaccination process. 

“Pausing vaccination to review safety is evidence of the application of sound clinical practice and demonstrates the rigour of the independent oversight process under which this trial is being conducted,” says Madhi.

“Assessing the safety of the vaccine is the reason why studies such as these are essential in South Africa, before there is widespread use of the vaccine."

PRESIDENT TO ADDRESS NATION ON DEVELOPMENTS IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC TONIGHT

President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the nation at 19:00 today, Wednesday, 16 September 2020, on developments in South Africa’s risk-adjusted response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The address follows a meeting of the National Coronavirus Command Council on Monday, 14 September 2020; a meeting of the President’s Coordinating Council on Tuesday, 15 September 2020, and a special sitting of Cabinet today, Wednesday, 16 September 2020.

The President’s Coordinating Council is co-chaired by the President and the Deputy President and brings together Ministers, Premiers and leadership of the brings together and the South African Local Government Association and National House of Traditional Leaders.

Follow it live on News24.

India's coronavirus cases pass 5 million

New Delhi – India's total coronavirus cases passed five million on Wednesday, health ministry data showed, as the pandemic extends its grip on the vast country at an ever-faster rate.

With its latest one million cases recorded in just 11 days, a world record, India now has 5.02 million infections. Only the United States has more, with 6.59 million.

India has for some time been recording the world's biggest daily jumps in cases, and on Wednesday, the rise was just over 90 000, with a record 1 290 deaths.

While India took 167 days to reach one million cases, the next million came in just 21 days, faster than the US and Brazil, according to the Times of India.

Just 29 days later, India became only the third country after the US and Brazil to post four million infections. India passed Brazil earlier this month.

Even so, and with India now testing around a million people daily, many experts say that this is not enough and that the true number of infections may be far higher.

This has been borne out in several studies in recent weeks measuring antibodies against the virus among the cramped populations of megacities New Delhi and Mumbai.

The India Council for Medical Research, the country's lead pandemic agency, said last week that its survey had suggested that already in May, 6.5 million people were infected.

The same goes for deaths – 82 066 as of Wednesday, less than half the US toll of 195 000 – with many deaths not properly recorded by authorities even in normal times.

 - AFP

As of 15 September, a total of 651 521 confirmed cases of Covid-19 have been reported, with 772 new cases identified in the previous 24 hours.

The Covid-19 death toll also rose as 142 new Covid-19 related deaths were reported on Tuesday evening. The confirmed Covid-19 related death toll now stands at 15 641.

According to a statement by the Minister of Health Zweli Mkhize, Gauteng still accounted for 33.1% of all confirmed cases of the virus, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 17.9% and the Western Cape with 16.7% of the total cases.

A total of 583 126 recoveries were recorded, which translated to a recovery rate of 89.5%. The total number of active cases stood at 52 754.

Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 29.52 million, death toll at 931 954

More than 29.52 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 931 954 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

FOR SUBSCRIBERS

'Gear up for easing of lockdown': Winde to push for Ramaphosa to lift curfew and overseas travel ban

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde and other premiers will be meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa and the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) to discuss the next phase of the lockdown on Tuesday.

In a video statement released on Tuesday, Winde said he would be pushing for three main agenda items that his government felt would allow for more economic activity in the country.

Zimbabwe eases Covid-19 restrictions as exam classes start

Zimbabwe on Tuesday lifted a ban on inter-city travel and extended working hours as the government gradually re-opens the economy by easing Covid-19 restrictions.

The Southern African nation went into a lockdown in March and President Emmerson Mnangagwa later imposed an overnight curfew to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Lockdown left 13 million pupils without any form of adequate schooling - PSC

As Covid-19 hit South Africa and schools closed as a result of the lockdown, approximately 13 million pupils were affected and left without any form of adequate schooling. 

This according to the Public Service Commission's (PSC) quarterly bulletin which looked at the period between 1 April and 30 June 2020.

Ramaphosa's economic recovery plan gets the green light from business, labour

The National Economic Development and Labour Council has agreed to an economic recovery plan for South Africa.

According to a statement issued by the Presidency on Tuesday, following a meeting between President Cyril Ramaphosa and Nedlac - a body comprised of representatives of government, business, labour and community - the details of the plan will be announced once it is finalised by Cabinet.

Mkhize: About 12 million people in SA may have contracted Covid-19

An estimated 12 million people - nearly a fifth of the population - may have contracted Covid-19, the health minister says, as the country records significant declines in new infections.

South Africa had so far registered 650 749 cases or 47.8 percent of the total numbers recorded in Africa.

At least 15 499 of those infected had died.But the actual number of people who got infected could be much higher, possibly 18-fold more, based on estimates extrapolated from sample antibody studies.

All UIF corona payouts still halted as millions of IDs are checked

The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) is still not paying out special coronavirus grants as it tries to verify the identity documents of those who applied over recent months.

UAE approves use of Covid-19 vaccine for health workers

The United Arab Emirates has announced it approved the emergency use for healthcare workers of a coronavirus vaccine still in the final phase of human trials.

"The vaccine will be available to our first line of defence heroes who are at the highest risk of contracting the virus," tweeted the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) on Monday.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Covid-19 wrap: Global cases cross 29.27m, 17 India MPs infected, Israel government 'complete failure'

Keeping you up to date on the latest novel coronavirus (Covid-19) news from around the world.

Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 29.27 million, death toll at 926 716

More than 29.27 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 926 716 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.

Health dept to recommend easing lockdown restrictions on travel, booze sales and curfew

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said his department would make recommendations to Cabinet to ease lockdown restrictions, such as those relating to the curfew, the sale of alcohol, religious gatherings and travel.

Man arrested for allegedly supplying SANDF members with expired food during lockdown

A man appeared in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Monday after his company allegedly issued expired food rations to South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members deployed for Covid-19 lockdown duties.

Coronavirus morning update: Possible talks on move to Level 1, and latest on Covid corruption

The president is expected to hold high level meetings, where discussions may be held on a move to lockdown Level 1; and the SIU pounces on a Western Cape municipality.