LIVE | Covid-19: What we know about vaccine hesitancy in South Africa

What we know about vaccine hesitancy in South Africa

A recent global online survey suggests that more than a third of South Africans would not want a Covid-19 vaccine if and when it becomes available.

The survey found that the distrust of vaccines in South Africa mirrors low confidence in public institutions

You can now get a Covid antibody test at a Dis-Chem drive-through station

Unlike the Covid-19 nasal swab test, also offered by Dis-Chem (for R850 each), the antibody test cannot necessarily detect active cases of Covid-19. The antibody test should start to pick up antibodies from fourteen days after a person started experiencing symptoms related to the coronavirus.

Shaping up for a rebellion? UK parliament to debate coronavirus curfew

Britain's parliament will debate and vote on Tuesday on a 22:00 curfew on pubs, bars and restaurants in England, a measure the government says is necessary to slow the spread of Covid-19, but which critics say is harming the hospitality industry.

The curfew was introduced across England last month, and has swiftly become a focus for anger in Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative Party, with many saying there is no evidence for a measure that could end up forcing local pubs and restaurants out of business.

- Reuters

Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 36.15 million, death toll at 1 052 602

More than 36.15 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 1 052 602 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

Coronavirus morning recap: Mysterious post-Covid disease, and outbreak at the White House 

A mysterious hyperinflammatory disease could also affect adults; and the White House feels the effects of the Covid-19 outbreak.

LATEST SCIENCE AND RESEARCH

Although children tend to be more resilient to Covid-19, some children have developed a hyperinflammatory condition called multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C). This disease is dangerous and can even lead to death.

On 2 October 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a new report which suggests that a type of multisystem inflammatory syndrome can also affect some adults. This version is referred to as MIS-A.

According to the report, MIS-A is a severe illness that targets multiple organs and causes increased inflammation in the body.

As with children, the adults who presented with MIS-A either test positive for SARS-CoV-2, or they have antibodies, which means that they have been infected with the virus in the past.

Brazil hits 5 million Covid-19 cases, epidemiologist fears second wave

BRASILIA – Brazil passed the mark of 5 million confirmed Covid-19 cases on Wednesday as it approached 150 000 deaths, in the second most deathly coronavirus outbreak outside the United States.

Though the number of daily cases has come down from a peak in July, public health experts warn that Brazil is ignoring social distancing precautions and faces the danger of a second wave by returning to normal everyday life too quickly.

The Health Ministry reported 31 553 new cases on Tuesday, raising the total to 5 000 694, and 734 deaths, bringing the toll to 148 228 dead.

The rolling daily average for last week was 658 deaths a day, down from 1 073 deaths per day in the last week of July. Average new cases were 26 140 a day, almost half the rate of late July.

Federal University of Rio de Janeiro epidemiologist Roberto Medronho cautioned that the numbers could be much higher if testing for Covid-19 was more widespread.

"Soon we will reach 150,0000 deaths, a frightening number," he told Reuters. "We are seeing the authorities easing social distancing more and more despite the number of cases."

 - REUTERS

A total of 685 155 cases have been reported with 1 913 new cases in the past 24 hours. A reported 618 127 people have recovered and there are 17 248 reported deaths, 145 in the past day. This means there are an estimated 49 780 active Covid-19 cases.

There were a reported 145 new deaths in the past 24-hours. This brings the number of official, reported deaths to 17 248. The most deaths have been recorded in Gauteng and the Western Cape, with 4 373 and 4 231 deaths respectively. On average for the past week, 73 deaths were reported per day.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS WRAP 

Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 35.86 million, death toll at 1 047 657

More than 35.86 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 1 047 657 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, Europe has registered more than six million confirmed cases of novel coronavirus since it first appeared in the region in January, an AFP tally ON Wednesday showed.

So far the continent has seen 6 000 940 infections and 237 716 deaths, with the most in Russia (1 248,619 infections and 21 865 deaths), Spain (825 410 infections, 32 486 deaths), France (669 235 infections, 32 365 deaths) and Britain (530 113 infection, 42 445 deaths).

The past seven days have brought 543 137 new cases in Europe, a pace that is 26 percent faster than the previous week's 431 951. Deaths also accelerated by 17 percent over the same period, from 4 765 to 5 562.Larger numbers of confirmed infections can partly be explained by much more widespread testing taking place in a number of European countries, such as in France where more than one million are carried out each week.

Nevertheless, a large share of less serious or asymptomatic cases likely remain undetected.

Pandemic could push 115 million into extreme poverty in 2020: World Bank

As many as 115 million people could be pushed into extreme poverty this year due to the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the World Bank warned Wednesday.

That is a devastating reversal after decades of progress, and higher than the bank previously estimated, even as recently as August, when the worst case was put at 100 million.

And the bank's new report estimates that by 2021, 150 million could be living below the extreme poverty threshold of less than $1.90 a day.

"The pandemic and global recession may cause over 1.4 percent of the world's population to fall into extreme poverty," World Bank President David Malpass said in a statement.

If the pandemic had not struck, the global extreme poverty rate was expected to fall to 7.9 percent, but now could climb as high as 9.4 percent, the bank said in its flagship report.

World Bank economists say the dire estimates for new victims of poverty this year, which range from 88 million to 115 million, depend on the outlook for the global economy, which the Washington-based crisis lender estimates range from a contraction of five percent to eight percent in the worst case scenario.

That would erode years of success in reducing extreme poverty, and the authors warn create "poverty hotspots" in areas that face a double-hit from economic crisis and conflict: more than 40 percent of the poor live in conflict-affected areas.

The research also finds a rising share of those living in extreme poverty are in urban areas, which threatens to overwhelm existing support programs that are designed for rural populations.

A distant goal

Instead of achieving the goal of eradicating poverty by 2030, the convergence of the Covid-19 pandemic with the pressures of conflict and climate change will put the goal "beyond reach without swift, significant and substantial policy action," the World Bank said, warning that the global poverty rate could be about seven percent in the next decade.

"In order to reverse this serious setback to development progress and poverty reduction, countries will need to prepare for a different economy post-Covid, by allowing capital, labor, skills, and innovation to move into new businesses and sectors," Malpass said.

The bank said the policy response must be commensurate with the severity of the crisis, including modernizing education and online learning and deploying new technology to expand the reach of social protection programs.

"Failure to act comprehensively and urgently will create even bigger challenges in the future," the authors warned. Looking at a broader definition of poverty, the report found that close to a quarter of the world's population lives below the $3.20 line and more than 40 percent -almost 3.3 billion people - live below the $5.50 line.

Sub-Saharan Africa remains the epicenter of the problem, and could see an additional 40 million people fall into extreme poverty this year, and move closer to 500 million next year, according to the report. And climate change will drive 68 million to 135 million into poverty by 2030, with Sub-Saharan Africa again the most vulnerable.

Latin America could see an increase of five million in the worst case scenario, and East Asia an additional nine million. The report does not include estimates for South Asia given the lack of data from India.

-AFP

Trump Covid symptom-free for 24 hours, no fever in four days: doctor

President Donald Trump has been free of Covid-19 symptoms for 24 hours and has not had a fever in four days, his doctor said Wednesday.

"The president this morning says 'I feel great,'" doctor Sean Conley said in a brief update on the status of the president. Trump tested positive last week and returned to the White House Monday evening after spending three days at the Walter Reed military medical center.

-AFP

Corruption and economic recovery take centre state at Cabinet lekgotla

Speaking to the media shortly before the virtual meeting, Minister in the Presidency Jackson Mthembu said: "This lekgotla will focus on economic recovery. Covid-19 has had serious devastation on our lives, the economy, employment and business. As government, we must come with a reconstruction and a recovery plan to recover from the devastation caused by Covid-19."

Boris Johnson's scientific advisers want 'drastic action' to stop surge of Covid-19 deaths in the UK

Boris Johnson's scientific advisers want him to introduce "drastic" new lockdown measures after the number of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations surged in the UK.

"We are starting to get to a point where we really will have to take really critical action," Professor John Edmunds, a member of the government's scientific advisory group said on Tuesday.

The Covid-19 outbreak at the White House is the worst to hit any major government

The coronavirus outbreak at the White House is the worst to hit any major seat of government, an analysis by Business Insider has found.

The US is not alone in having the core of its central government stricken by Covid-19, nor is it the only country to have its national leader test positive.

But the number of senior US officials, along with their high level of seniority, makes the outbreak among the Trump Administration the worst so far.

Drop in SA business confidence shows economic recovery from Covid-19 years away

After confidence levels rebounded in June and July from the deterioration recorded in the first two months of the lockdown, SACCI said its business confidence index declined marginally again in September.

August had seen the index – which gauges sentiment and forward-looking expectations of firms, and by implication affects their plans to invest or hold-off planned expenditure in a country – improved to 85.8.

That amounted to an improvement of three index points from July. But the index regressed by 0.1 index point in September and was still 6.7 index points below its September 2019 level.

Facebook just removed Trump's post falsely claiming that Covid is less deadly than the flu

Facebook removed a post from President Donald Trump on Tuesday that falsely claimed Covid-19 is "far less lethal" than the flu.

Facebook determined that Trump's post violated its policies against Covid-19 misinformation, which ban false and misleading claims about the severity of the virus, CNN first reported.

A mysterious post-Covid inflammatory response in kids can also affect adults

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there's a type of multisystem inflammatory syndrome that can also affect some adults.

Although children tend to be more resilient to Covid-19, some children have developed a hyperinflammatory condition called multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C). This disease is dangerous and can even lead to death.

Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 35.56 million, death toll at 1 042 004

More than 35.56 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 1 042 004 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

Coronavirus morning recap: WHO says vaccine may be ready by year-end, symptoms and Covid recovery 

The WHO says a vaccine may be ready by year-end; researchers want loss of smell to be recognised as a Covid symptom, and tips for recovery from mild cases.

LATEST SCIENCE AND RESEARCH

When the Covid-19 outbreak started, most guidelines listed the main symptoms as fever, a cough and fatigue. But as the disease progressed, many people reported a variety of symptoms. One of these, loss of smell, was reported by may patients and is now recognised by the UK medical guidelines as one of the key symptoms.

New research also suggests that this symptom could be significant for guidelines and help medical professionals and potential patients to recognise Covid-19 more rapidly, which could spur on self-isolation and help curb the spread of the disease.

According to a new study published in PLOS Medicine, four out of five people experiencing a loss of smell and/or taste tested positive for Covid-19 antibodies, while 40% of those did not even experience a cough or fever.

The study was conducted by Professor Rachel Batterham and colleagues from the University of London.

Indonesian man busts out of South Korean quarantine facility

SEOUL – An Indonesian seaman bust out of a South Korean quarantine facility by breaking through a wall a day before he was due to complete a mandatory two weeks in isolation, a health official said on Wednesday.

"The person had tested negative for coronavirus and showed no symptoms during the isolation period," health ministry spokesperson Son Young-rae told reporters.

Authorities suspected the man, who had entered the country on a ship crew visa, intended to illegally stay in South Korea, as there had been several similar incidents involving Vietnamese nationals in recent month, officials said.

Every person arriving in South Korea from overseas is required to undergo two weeks of isolation to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus regardless of whether they have Covid-19 symptoms.

In March, the country’s health ministry warned it would deport foreigners and South Korean citizens could face jail for violating self-quarantine rules after a surge in imported coronavirus cases.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 114 new infections on Tuesday midnight, bringing the national tally to 24 353 cases, with 425 deaths.

 - REUTERS

Covid-19 wrap: Global cases cross 35.34m, WHO warns of 'pandemic fatigue', Biden slams Trump remarks

Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 35.34 million, death toll at 1 039 158More than 35.34 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 1 039 158 have died, according to a Reuters tally.

Biden slams Trump over reassuring remarks on Covid-19

Democratic White House hopeful Joe Biden on Monday castigated President Donald Trump for saying Americans should not be afraid of Covid-19 or let it "dominate your life", even after he tested positive for coronavirus.

PLUS:

'No isolation, few tests': Argentina has world's highest Covid-19 positive rate

India's coronavirus infections rise to 6.69 million

Joe Biden 'wasn't surprised' when Trump got sick with Covid-19, warned 200,000 more Americans will die

Democratic president nominee Joe Biden said he was unsurprised to learn that President Donald Trump caught Covid-19, and that 200,000 more Americans may die by year end if authorities do not enforce stricter public-health measures.

"Quite frankly, I wasn't surprised," Biden told MSNBC's Lester Holt when asked about the president's diagnosis during a Monday night town hall hosted by MSNBC.

Trump appears to struggle to breathe in video of his return to the White House after Covid-19 treatment

Footage of President Donald Trump returning to the White House on Monday after being treated for Covid-19 in hospital appears to show him having difficulty breathing. 

Trump on Monday evening left hospital despite being still infected with the illness.

WHO calls for action against rising 'pandemic fatigue'

The World Health Organisation (WHO) warned European countries on Tuesday about "pandemic fatigue" which it says threatens the continent's ability to tackle the coronavirus.

"Although fatigue is measured in different ways, and levels vary per country, it is now estimated to have reached over 60 percent in some cases," WHO Europe director Dr Hans Kluge said.

He said this is based on "aggregated survey data from countries across the region.

"Citizens have made "huge sacrifices" over the last eight months to try and contain the coronavirus, he said in a statement.

"In such circumstances it is easy and natural to feel apathetic and demotivated, to experience fatigue."

Kluge called on European authorities to listen to the public and work with them in "new and innovative ways" to reinvigorate the fight against Covid-19, which is on the increase throughout Europe.

- AFP

Trump says he may be 'immune' to Covid-19 after hospital stay, steroid treatment used for severe cases

 - President Donald Trump received treatment for Covid-19 at Walter Reed Medical Centre over the weekend, returning to the White House on Monday evening. 

 - Upon his return, Trump baselessly suggested he might be "immune" to Covid-19. 

 - After being diagnosed with Covid-19 last week, Trump was hospitalised and administered supplemental oxygen, an experimental antibody cocktail, and a steroid generally used for severe cases on the virus.

 - Trump is still infected with the virus. There's no evidence he's immune.

Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 35.27 million, death toll at 1 038 062

More than 35.27 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 1 038 062 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

Coronavirus morning recap: Test gone wrong, social media, and keeping safe while shopping

Woman suffers brain fluid leak after having nasal test for Covid-19, could social media use increase depression and secondary trauma; and hand sanitisers vs wipes.

LATEST SCIENCE AND RESEARCH

A 40-year-old US woman who underwent a Covid-19 nasal swab test experienced more than just an uncomfortable itch and tickle; the swab procedure ended up rupturing the lining at the base of her skull, causing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to leak from her nose and putting her at risk of brain infection.

The case was reported in the medical journal, JAMA Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery this week.

The doctors wrote that the patient had a rare undiagnosed condition, and that the test she received may have been carried out improperly, causing the rupture. This means that health risks associated with nasal swab tests remain very low.

The patient had a compulsory Covid-19 test ahead of an elective hernia surgery.

Shortly afterwards, she started noticing clear fluid coming out of one nostril, and subsequently developed headache, vomiting, neck stiffness, metallic taste and photophobia (aversion to light), the case report reads.

New York closes schools in virus-hit areas over second wave fears

New York will temporarily close schools in nine neighbourhoods experiencing an uptick in coronavirus infections, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Monday, highlighting the difficulty of keeping children in classrooms during the pandemic.

The public and private schools are in areas of Brooklyn and Queens, where the rate of positive cases has been above the 3% threshold for more than seven days.

New York – America's largest school district with 1.1 million students – is the only major city in the United States offering in-person classes this fall.

Many cities, such as Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Miami, opted instead for online classes.

The issue of reopening schools has become politicised ahead of the November elections, with Republican President Donald Trump insisting schools reopen, regardless of infection rates.

The closures take effect on Tuesday, bringing forward by a day the date proposed by New York City mayor Bill de Blasio.

 - AFP

US President Donald Trump said he will leave the US military hospital where he was being treated for Covid-19 later on Monday, adding that he felt "really good."

"I will be leaving the great Walter Reed Medical Center today at 18:30. Feeling really good! Don’t be afraid of Covid. Don’t let it dominate your life. We have developed, under the Trump Administration, some really great drugs & knowledge. I feel better than I did 20 years ago!" he said on Twitter.

Covid-19 wrap: New supercomputer to help virus fight, Europe braces for second wave

France reported nearly 17 000 new coronavirus cases on Saturday alone, the highest daily number since the country began widespread testing.

The shuttering of bars and cafes - seen by many as the essence of Parisian life - were "braking measures because the epidemic is moving too fast," Paris police chief Didier Lallemant told journalists, adding that restaurants will remain open provided they respect new safety measures.

'The economy will surprise us' - Zimbabwe finance minister says Covid-19 won't hit economy as hard

Zimbabwe's finance minister said on Monday the economy would not be as severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic as initially feared and foreign currency inflows had shown resilience.

The southern African nation was already grappling with runaway inflation, shortages of medicine in hospitals and strikes by public workers before the novel coronavirus arrived in March.

"I am more bullish again even during this Covid-19 moment, I think the economy will surprise us on the upside," finance minister Mthuli Ncube said during an online media conference.

White House chief of staff says Trump could be discharged, downplays infection risk from drive-by

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows doubled down on a notion floated by President Donald Trump's doctors yesterday that the president could be discharged from the hospital as early as today.

"We are still optimistic that he will be able to return to the White House later today, with his medical professionals making that determination later today," Meadows said in an interview on "Fox & Friends."

Melania Trump reportedly refused to leave Covid-19 isolation for fear of infecting Secret Service agents

First lady Melania Trump did not come out of Covid-19 isolation in the White House to visit President Donald Trump in the hospital because she was concerned about potentially infecting the Secret Service agents on her security detail, NBC News reported, citing an unnamed White House official.

"She has Covid," the official told the outlet, in explaining why she did not make the trip on Saturday.

City of Cape Town concerned Covid-19 vigilance is taking a backseat 

The City of Cape Town’s Health Department is reporting an increase in incidents of non-adherence to Covid-19 protocols, Zahid Badroodien, Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, has said.

In a statement on Monday, Badroodien said: "Our Environmental Health Practitioners are particularly concerned about the number of people who are going about their business in public without masks, as well as crowd management in shops, malls and other public amenities."

Badroodien added that Cape Town had "worked very hard to overcome the peak of the pandemic so that we could start focusing on rebuilding lives, communities and the economy".

"All of this hard work will be undermined if we drop our collective guard," said Badroodien.

"Increased vigilance is crucial – we cannot afford to lose focus."

On Sunday, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said the total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases is  681 289, the total number of deaths is 16 976 and the total number of recoveries is 614 781.

OPINION | Covid-19 has increased hunger in SA: So what works best to improve access to food?

South Africa’s expansion of social grants during lockdown was a good move - new evidence shows such cash transfers are effective in reducing food insecurity. But the country may need more of these and may also have to increase their amounts write Solange Durão, Michelle Galloway and Vundli Ramokolo.

Although South Africa experienced food insecurity even before the Covid-19 lockdown - 11%  of South Africans (about 6.5 million people) suffered from hunger - this increased significantly over the last five months as a result of measures implemented to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Covid-19 wrap: Global cases cross 35.13m, New Zealand beats 'virus again' and Paris on maximum alert

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

More than 35.13 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 1 035 670 have died, according to a Reuters tally.

PLUS:

New Zealand PM says 'we beat the virus again';

Restaurants to stay open, but Paris goes on maximum virus alert

Covid infections seem to have gotten milder over time, research shows — perhaps because of masks

Scientists have cleared up many mysteries surrounding the coronavirus, but one question still inspires debate: Does a person's viral load, the amount of the virus in their body, determine how sick they get?

Common sense suggests the answer should be yes, higher viral loads produce a more severe outcome. But the coronavirus hasn't always neatly followed that rule. 

Trump, who is highly contagious, left hospital to pay a 'surprise visit' to cheering 'fans'

US president Donald Trump made a surprise departure from Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre on Sunday evening, during which he was shown driving by cheering crowds of supporters.