LIVE | China joins global effort to distribute Covid-19 vaccines equally, US still refusing

Bandile Masuku instructs lawyers to challenge SIU report that got him discharged from his job

Discharged Gauteng Health MEC Bandile Masuku has instructed his lawyers to apply to set aside the findings of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) report, which places him at the centre of the irregular procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE) in the department.

"The SIU report makes incorrect and non-factual findings about my role as Executive Authority. It is unclear whether the report is final, and to this end I have written to the Premier to explain to him that, in fact, and in law, I will be exercising my rights to review the findings in a court of law to set them aside," Masuku said in a 13-page statement on Friday.

China finally joined a global effort to distribute coronavirus vaccines equally - US is still refusing

China has decided to join a global effort to distribute coronavirus vaccines fairly around the world, while the US is still refusing to commit.

The World Health Organisation launched the Covax program to ensure that 2 billion vaccine doses can be distributed to those most in need by the end of 2021. So far 157 countries, including China, have signed up.

World Food Programme wins Nobel Peace Prize

The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the World Food Programme on Friday for feeding millions of people from Yemen to North Korea, with the coronavirus pandemic pushing millions more into hunger.

The WFP was "a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict", Nobel committee chairwoman Berit Reiss-Andersen said on unveiling the winner in Oslo.

"This is a powerful reminder to the world that peace and #ZeroHunger go hand-in-hand," the Rome-based organisation said on Twitter.

- AFP

Donald Trump says he hasn't tested negative for Covid-19, despite boasting of his recovery

President Donald Trump implied that he has yet to test negative for Covid-19 since his diagnosis, despite boasting that he has recovered.

Speaking with Fox New anchor Sean Hannity on Thursday night, Trump dodged questions over whether he had been tested since he announced his positive test the week before, leading to a three-night stay in the hospital.

Remdesivir speeds recovery for Covid patients, report concludes

Remdesivir hastens recovery for Covid patients, but does not appear to alter a person's risk of dying from the disease.

Remdesivir has proved its mettle against Covid-19, a final report on the antiviral concludes.

Remdesivir hastened recovery for Covid patients who were so sick they had to be hospitalised, said Dr Raymund Razonable, vice-chair of infectious diseases for the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

People on remdesivir recovered in 10 days, on average, compared with 15 days for those only receiving supportive care like oxygen and IV fluids, according to the results published on 8 October in the New England Journal of Medicine.

New testing method can diagnose Covid-19 in 30 minutes

A new type of technology developed by researchers at POSTECH in South Korea can detect SARS-CoV-2 in just 30 minutes.

Results from currently available tests for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, can take anything from a few hours to several days to become available.

Earlier this year, test result delays were causing concern among doctors, News24 reported, as this meant that infected people who should have been self-quarantining were instead putting others in danger while awaiting their results.

However, researchers from Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) have developed a new test that diagnoses infected patients in just 30 minutes.

Lifting lockdowns is unlikely to boost the economic recovery as long as cases remain elevated, IMF says

 - Reversing lockdown measures while cases remain elevated is unlikely to drive a robust economic recovery, the International Monetary Fund said in a Thursday blog post.

 - Researchers at the organisation found that voluntary quarantining plays a substantial role in stifling a rebound as fears of contracting the coronavirus keeps consumers from boosting economic activity.

 - While lockdowns present some short-term costs, they "may lead to a faster economic recovery as they lower infections and thus the extent of voluntary social distancing," the team wrote.

 - Addressing the health crisis "appears to be a pre-condition to allow for a strong and sustained economic recovery," the IMF added.

Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 36.5 million, death toll at 1 060 997

More than 36.5 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 1 060 997 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: Covid reinfection, and vaccine hesitancy in SA 

A poorly developed immune response could possibly lead to Covid-19 reinfection, research suggests; and what we know about vaccine hesitancy in South Africa.

LATEST SCIENCE AND RESEARCH

As Covid-19 spreads, many experts are questioning the validity of the herd immunity theory. Researchers are asking whether it will be possible to stave off Covid-19 as more people develop antibodies.

While previous research has shown that recovery from Covid-19 is associated with a production of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, it is still uncertain whether these antibodies can provide long-term immunity.

There is also the ongoing question of Covid-19 reinfection – where people test positive twice for SARS-CoV-2. Although the phenomenon is not well understood at this stage, reinfection could lead scientists to an effective vaccine and better treatment.

In a recent pre-print case study that appeared on the database medRxiv, a team from the University of Washington investigated a case that suggests a poorly developed immune response and waning antibody levels could make people more susceptible to reinfection.

A total of 686 891 cases have been reported with 1 736 new cases in the past 24 hours. A reported 618 771 people have recovered and there are 17 408 reported deaths, 160 in the past day. This means there are an estimated 50 712 active Covid-19 cases.

There were a reported 160 new deaths in the past 24-hours. This brings the number of official, reported deaths to 17 408. The most deaths have been recorded in Gauteng and the Western Cape, with 4 386 and 4 239 deaths respectively. On average for the past week, 77 deaths were reported per day.

Covid-19 corruption: Hawks seize electronics, documents in probe into R2.7m Eastern Cape PPE tender

The search and seizure operation was conducted in King William's Town early on Thursday morning.

"A trading company was awarded the tender to provide the personal protective equipment to the department," Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale said.

He said it was understood that the company was paid the initial R2.7 million and then a further R198 000 into two different bank accounts.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS WRAP 

WHO reports record one-day rise in global coronavirus cases, up over 338 000

The World Health Organisation reported a record one-day increase in global coronavirus cases on Thursday, with the total rising by 338 779 in 24 hours.

Deaths rose by 5 514 to a total of 1.05 million. India reported 78 524 new cases, followed by Brazil at 41 906 and the United States with 38 904 new infections.

The previous WHO record for new cases was 330 340 on 2 October. The agency reported a record 12 393 deaths on April 17.

Meanwhile, more than 36.24 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 1 054 024 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.

Trump suggests he caught Covid-19 because he let families of fallen soldiers at an event get too close

President Donald Trump suggested Thursday that family members of deceased troops might have given him Covid-19 at a recent White House event days before he contracted the virus.

"I meet a lot of people. I have to. I'm the president of the country. I can't hang around in a basement, so I figured there would be a chance that I would catch it," the president told Fox Business' Maria Bartiromo Thursday morning.

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.