LIVE | Number of coronavirus cases stand at 706 304 with 18 656 deaths

Coronavirus morning recap: Test swab stuck in woman’s lung, and Covid corruption latest

Doctors found a snapped coronavirus test swab inside the lung of a 51-year-old patient; and Hawks to make more arrests this week amid Covid-19 corruption.

The virus has claimed 1 119 590 lives worldwide since it first emerged in China late last year, according to an AFP tally Tuesday, based on official sources.

At least 40 416 801 cases have been registered across the globe.

The United States is the worst-affected country with 220 134 deaths, followed by Brazil with 154 176, India with 115 197, Mexico with 86 338 and Britain with 43 726.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he will impose tougher coronavirus restrictions on the northern English city of Manchester, pulling rank after a standoff with the local mayor who bitterly opposed the move without extra cash.

Johnson says the city region of around 2.8 million residents will enter the highest risk category from Friday.

Many pubs, bars, casinos and other venues will be closed for four weeks and residents will be barred from meeting anybody outside their household indoors.

Spain to receive 31.6 million doses of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine

Spain would receive 31.6 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine currently being developed by Britain's pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca between December and June if it is ready, Health Minister Salvador Illa said on Tuesday.

The supply of the potential vaccine makes part of a European Union scheme, Illa told a news conference following the weekly cabinet meeting.

Illa also said tough restrictive measures to bring a surge of coronavirus infections under control will be imposed in Madrid for three weeks after the state of emergency in the region expires on 23 October.

Reuters

London Heathrow unveils rapid pre-flight virus tests

London's Heathrow airport on Tuesday began to roll out paid-for rapid coronavirus testing, with results in one hour, as it seeks to boost demand decimated by the deadly pandemic.

The LAMP saliva test, which does not have to be processed in a laboratory, will cost 80 ($102) per passenger and is available initially for passengers flying to Italy and Hong Kong from Terminals two and five.

The Covid-19 test will provide results more quickly than those used by Britain's state-run National Health Service, according to the Heathrow test providers - aviation services company Collinson and logistics firm Swissport.

Passengers will be asked to register online for the test before travelling to Heathrow, which is based west of the British capital.

Collinson and Swissport described the tests as a "critical step" in the aviation sector's recovery, "restoring traveller confidence and reopening routes from the UK to the rest of the world".

Italy and Hong Kong require passengers to provide evidence of a negative Covid-19 test prior to departure, a statement added.

However the British government last week removed Italy from its travel corridor list, meaning travellers from the country have to quarantine on entering the UK.

Passengers arriving in Britain from Italy, San Marino and the Vatican State now have to self-isolate for 14 days, under new guidance that came into force Sunday.

Italy joined other major tourist destinations on the list, including France and Spain, as a second wave of coronavirus sweeps Europe and triggers stricter curbs on public life.

New British Airways chief executive Sean Doyle on Monday urged the UK government to end the quarantining of passengers arriving from abroad in order to boost tourism and kick-start economic growth.

AFP

Russia's daily coronavirus cases hit record high of 16 319

MOSCOW – Russia recorded a record high 16 319 new cases of coronavirus on Tuesday, including 4 999 in the capital Moscow, to take the national total to 1 431 635.

Authorities reported 269 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking Russia's official death toll to 24 635.

 - REUTERS

Covid-19: 30 Fort Hare students test positive after nights out at tavern and bash

 - Thirty students from the University of Fort Hare tested positive for Covid-19 after they went out for a night of drinks at a tavern in Quigney, and later attended a bash.

 - Students tested positive after alleged non-compliance to alert Level 1 regulations.

 - A residence with 134 beds at the Alice campus is being used as a quarantine and isolation site.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Covid-19 wrap: Madrid hospital 'swamped' with cases, Ireland first EU country to re-enter lockdown

 - Mexico City's mayor has warned tighter coronavirus curbs could come into effect later in the week as Covid-19 hospitalisations rise.

 - Residents of the Berchtesgadener Land district of Bavaria will not be able to leave their homes without a valid reason for two weeks from Tuesday.

 - Ireland will be the first EU country to return to coronavirus lockdown, but schools will stay open.

SA's Covid-19 cases increase to 705 254

The country has recorded another 1 461 Covid-19 cases, bringing the total number to 705 254.

It has also recorded 61 more deaths, taking the toll to 18 492.

Of these, 21 were in the Eastern Cape, 19 in the Free State and three in KwaZulu-Natal.

"Of the 61 deaths reported today, 11 were reported to have occurred in the past 24 to 48 hours: three in Gauteng, one in Mpumalanga and seven in the Western Cape," Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said.

US, Europe still aren't quarantining correctly, WHO says

 - Quarantining people who've been exposed to sick patients is one of the most basic ways to end the spread of an infectious disease, like Covid-19.

 - But the WHO says proper quarantining is still not being done "systematically, anywhere" during this pandemic.

 - That's a problem, especially in Europe and the US, where cases and hospitalisations are on the rise again. 

 - Effective quarantining "means not going to work. It means not going to the grocery store. It means not socialising with friends. It means not having people over at your home," the WHO said. 

Some younger people get severe Covid-19 and scientists think they are close to finding out why

Researchers from the University of Bergen and their French colleagues suggest our antibodies may have something to do with it.

One of the lingering questions of the Covid-19 pandemic is why the disease, caused by SARS-CoV-2, appears to hit older people harder than young adults and children.

A new study suggests that one of the answers may have to do with our antibodies.

"We found that persons with serious Covid-19 disease have antibodies that are blocking so-called interferons, which are an important part of the body's defence mechanism," Professor Eystein Husebye from the Department of Clinical Science at the University of Bergen (UiB) in Norway said in a news release issued by the university.

Husebye conducted the study together with his French colleagues and their findings were published in the journal Science.

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'Bad math': Airlines' Covid-19 safety analysis challenged by expert

A campaign by coronavirus-stricken aviation giants to persuade the world it's safe to fly has been questioned by one of the scientists whose research it draws upon.

Dr David Freedman, a US infectious diseases specialist, said he declined to take part in a recent presentation by global airline body IATA with plane makers Airbus, Boeing and Embraer that cited his work.

While he welcomed some industry findings as "encouraging", Freedman said a key assertion about the improbability of catching Covid-19 on planes was based on "bad math".

Airlines and plane makers are anxious to restart international travel, even as a second wave of infections and restrictions take hold in many countries.

Coronavirus morning recap: Obesity, hearing loss, and SA's red list down to 22 countries

Risk of severe Covid-19 high for obese people, regardless of other factors; sudden hearing loss occurs in some patients; and SA’s red list just went from 60 to 22 countries.

South Africa now has 705 254 coronavirus virus cases after 1 461 new cases were reported on Monday.

61 more death were recorded bringing the total number of deaths to 18 492.

The recovery rate is at 90%.

Intensive care units (ICUs) at hospitals treating Covid-19 patients should do away with air-conditioning to limit the risk of infecting doctors, a study from a top Indian research institute has said.

Frontline health workers around the world have borne the brunt of the coronavirus crisis. More than 500 doctors have died from Covid-19 in India - the world's second-worst hit nation - as infections near 8 million, straining the country's weak and underfunded public health system.

SA’s red list just went from 60 to 22 countries – but US and UK tourists are still banned

 - The list of countries South Africa considers at high risk for the coronavirus – and from which tourists are banned – dropped from 60 to 22 on Monday. 

 - The new red list still includes India, the UK, and the USA.

 - Germany and Canada are among the seven countries newly listed.

 - Visitors from the remaining high-risk countries will now be welcome as long as they stay for three months or more, the department of home affairs says.

3 billion people could struggle to get a Covid-19 vaccine due to a lack of fridge storage space

 - Three billion people may be denied a Covid-19 vaccine when it's here because a number of countries don't have sufficient cold storage facilities, the Associated Press reported.

 - Most vaccines need to kept at between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius, but the vaccine candidates from Moderna and Pfizer need temperatures of minus 15 and minus 70 Celsius respectively.

 - Parts of Central Asia, India, southeast Asia, Latin America, and "all but a tiny corner of Africa" are most in need of cold storage facilities, the AP reported.

 - A vaccine is yet to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, with a number of companies nearing the end of clinical trials.

 - Other parts of the vaccine supply chain, such as a shortage of glass vials, could also hamper a global inoculation drive.

Global coronavirus cases have hit 40 million, doubling since 10 August

 - Worldwide coronavirus cases hit 40 million on Monday. 

 - Large parts of the world are entering a second wave of the virus, and governments are scrambling to institute new lockdown measures. 

 - The US, India, and Brazil remain the hardest-hit countries with a combined count of nearly 21 million cases.

International Covid-19 wrap: Tougher restrictions for Wales and Manchester, 40 million cases worldwide

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide passed 40 million on Monday, according to an AFP tally.

 - About six million people in the United Kingdom face tougher Covid-19 lockdowns in coming days.

 - India’s tally of coronavirus infections stood at 7.55 million on Monday, having risen by 55 722 cases in the last 24 hours.

 - Austria is limiting gatherings to a maximum of six people indoors and 12 outside as they battle a steady rise in infections.

The Dutch king, queen cut short holiday after facing backlash for travelling amid a partial lockdown

 - The Netherlands' King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima returned home Saturday after cutting short a vacation in Greece.

 - "We see the reactions by people to reports in the media," the Dutch king and queen said in a statement on Friday from the Royal House of the Netherlands after the trip sparked widespread backlash.

 - The Dutch government imposed a partial lockdown on Wednesday that closed bars and restaurants and discourages unnecessary travel.

 - Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte wrote that he "made the wrong assessment" about letting the royal couple travel, according to the BBC.

Covid-19: Sudden hearing loss, while rare, occurs in some patients - and needs to be caught early

The first case of sudden hearing loss due to a Covid-19 infection has been reported in the United Kingdom, and researchers say people need to be made aware of the symptom.

The first case of sudden hearing loss due to Covid-19 infection was reported in the United Kingdom and doctors are urging people to become aware of the symptom because prompt treatment could completely or at least partially reverse it.

While the report states that the condition is uncommon, doctors warned that if the condition remains undetected, and subsequently untreated, the damage is likely to be irreversible.

The case study was published in BMJ Case Reports and details how a 45-year-old patient, who suffers from asthma, was admitted to hospital following 10 days of Covid-19 symptoms.

'Masks work? NO': Twitter removes tweet by White House coronavirus adviser

 - Twitter removed a tweet by White House coronavirus adviser Dr. Scott Atlas who claimed that face coverings were not effective in stopping the spread of the coronavirus.

 - The doctor, who joined the coronavirus task force in August, tweeted on Saturday: "Masks work? NO", alongside a link to an article that argued against the success of face coverings.

 - Atlas told Newsweek he had appealed the decision, adding: "Twitter seems to be censoring the science if it goes against their own goals of public indoctrination."

Risk of severe Covid-19 high for obese people, regardless of other factors

A Brazilian meta-analysis looked at obesity prevalence in severe Covid-19 cases.

As the Covid-19 pandemic continues, obesity has been one of the top triggers for severe cases. Outside of the disease, obesity has always had a detrimental effect on health through chronic inflammation, a higher risk of heart disease and a weakened response to viral infections.

But how much does it matter in relation to other conditions, age, sex and race when it comes to contracting a severe coronavirus infection?

Obesity vs other comorbidities

To answer this question, Brazilian researchers conducted a meta-analysis of nine studies from five countries on severe Covid-19, which included more than 6 500 patients. More than half were male and had comorbidities such as hypertension (51.51%), diabetes (30.3%), cardiovascular disease (16.66%), lung disease (15.99%), renal disease (7.49%), cancer (5.07%), and immunosuppression (1.8%).

A high proportion of patients were smokers and suffered from dyslipidemia - a condition involving high levels of cholesterol or fat in the blood.

Ramaphosa wishes Zweli Mkhize and his wife a 'safe and speedy recovery' from Covid-19

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday wished Health Minister Zweli Mkhize and his wife, Dr May Mkhize, a "safe and speedy recovery from their Covid-19 infection".

Mkhize announced in a statement on Sunday that he and his wife tested positive for Covid-19. He revealed he was displaying mild symptoms, like fatigue and loss of appetite.

His wife, however, "had a cough, was dizzy and extremely exhausted".

"Given her symptoms, the doctors advised that she must be admitted for observation and rehydration," the statement read.

According to a statement from the Presidency on Monday, Ramaphosa "wishes the Mkhizes a safe and restful recovery and joins the minister in calling on all South Africans to remain careful and do all we need to do to keep safe and help the country avoid a second wave of the pandemic".

Mkhize earlier said they had duly informed all their close contacts and advised them to self-isolate at home and get tested.

"I am now in quarantine at home and both my wife and I remain optimistic that we will fully recover from this virus," Mkhize said.

(PHOTO: GCIS)

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Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 39.94 million, death toll at 1 112 131

More than 39.94 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 1 112 131 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 science | Week in review: Not like flu, role of blood type, and fake news

Hospitalised Covid-19 patients tend to be younger, and healthier than those with flu; the role of blood type in Covid infection; and top three conspiracies.

LATEST SCIENCE AND RESEARCH

People with blood type O are less likely to become infected with Covid-19, the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, according to two new studies published in the journal Blood Advances.

They are also at lower risk of severe Covid-19 outcomes, such as organ failure, and even death.

Scientists have been investigating a potential link between blood type and vulnerability to Covid-19 for many months, and this latest evidence supports previous findings.

A preprint study published in March this year suggested that people with blood type A have a higher risk of acquiring Covid-19 compared with non-A blood groups, while another study published in June found that blood type O seemed to be more resistant against Covid-19 infection.

In this study, researchers analysed data from a Danish health registry that included more than 473 000 patients who were infected with Covid-19 between 27 February 2020 and 30 July 2020. After controlling for certain factors, they found fewer patients with blood type O, compared with patients with blood types A, B, and AB.

A total of 703 793 cases have been reported with 1 662 new cases in the past 24 hours. A reported 634 543 people have recovered and there are 18 471 reported deaths, 63 in the past day.

The most deaths have been recorded in Gauteng and the Western Cape, with 4 618 and 4 280 deaths respectively. On average for the past week, 99 deaths were reported per day.

With 703 793 total cases, 634 543 recoveries and 18 471 reported deaths, there are an estimated 50 779 active Covid-19 cases. Active cases continue to decline.

Mkhize tests positive for Covid-19

Health minister Zweli Mkhize and his wife, May, have tested positive for Covid-19. 

The minister said in a statement on Sunday night that he had been showing mild symptoms, like feeling fatigued and was losing his appetite. 

"My wife had a cough, was dizzy and extremely exhausted. Given her symptoms, the doctors advised that she must be admitted for observation and rehydration," a statement said.

"Our close contacts in the past week have been a few of our family members and some of my Health Ministry team. We have informed them and advised them to immediately isolate in their homes and be tested.

"I am now in quarantine at home and both my wife and I remain optimistic that we will fully recover from this virus.

"I wish to take this opportunity to urge all South Africans to continue adhering to health protocols. I want to beg that we do not neglect wearing our masks, social distancing and washing / sanitizing our hands."

The UK government hopes that a coronavirus vaccine will be available by December, say reports.

England's deputy chief medical officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, this week told members of Parliament that the vaccine being developed at Oxford University with pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca could be available to high-priority groups in time for the New Year, according to The Times of London newspaper.

The coronavirus remains active on human skin for nine hours, Japanese researchers have found, in a discovery they said showed the need for frequent hand washing to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.

The pathogen that causes the flu survives on human skin for about 1.8 hours by comparison, said the study published this month in the Clinical Infectious Diseases journal.

1 928 new Covid-19 cases bring the total infections to 702 131.

There have been 38 more fatalities, taking the death toll to 18 408.

The total number of recoveries is 630 436.

US CDC reports 217 918 total deaths from coronavirus

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Saturday reported 8 028 332 cases of the new coronavirus, an increase of 70 078 from its previous count, and said the number of deaths had risen by 1 001 to 217 918.

The CDC reported its tally of cases of the respiratory illness known as Covid-19, caused by a new coronavirus, as of 16:00 ET on 16 October, versus its previous report a day earlier.

- Reuters

Slovakia to test whole country for coronavirus

Slovak Prime Minister Igor Matovic said on Saturday the eurozone member will test every resident ages 10 and up for the coronavirus, amid an uptick in infections.

"Testing will be free of charge," he told reporters in the country of 5.4 million people, without specifying whether it will be mandatory or voluntary.

"If we manage to pull this off, we can set an example for the entire world."

- AFP

Greece virus death toll hits 500: health agency

Greece's coronavirus death toll reached 500 on Saturday, the state health agency said, with authorities concerned about the spread of infections in northern rural areas.

"I must ask that we be very careful," Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Saturday during a visit to the island of Samothrace.

The civil protection agency this week put the densely populated northern region of Kozani, home to some 150 000 people, under lockdown until 29 October.

- AFP

Coronavirus: latest global developments

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:

Curfew in France

A nighttime curfew comes into force for at least a month in Paris and other major cities across France.

About 20 million people - about a third of the French population - will have to stay indoors from 21:00 to 18:00 or risk a fine of 135 euros.

More than 25 000 new cases of the coronavirus were registered on Friday after a record of 30 000 the day before.

Italy closes Lombardy bars, restaurants

Authorities have ordered that bars and restaurants be closed from midnight in the northern region of Lombardy, the area worst hit by the second wave and where the first European cases emerged in February. All amateur sporting activities are also to be suspended.

Germans urged to stay home

German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged citizens to stay at home whenever they can after 7 830 positive cases were reported in 24 hours.

"Say no to the trip which isn't really necessary, to a celebration that isn't really necessary. Please stay at home as much as possible," Merkel said in her weekly podcast address, adding that how the country manages to enjoy Christmas depends on how people behave now.

German aid for Holocaust survivors

Germany said it is creating a fund of more than half a billion euros ($600 million) to disburse among Holocaust survivors suffering or at risk from the coronavirus, not just on age grounds but the fact that those who survived Nazi era brutality were left with deep-seated health problems.

More than 1.1 million dead

The novel coronavirus has killed at least 1 105 691 people since the outbreak emerged in China last December, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP at 11:00 GMT on Saturday.

At least 39 368 710 cases have been registered. Of these, at least 27 117 500 are now considered recovered.

Friday saw 6 118 new deaths and 403 629 new cases recorded. The United States remains the worst-affected country with 218 602 deaths from 8 050 385 cases ahead of Brazil, India and Mexico. The United Kingdom remains Europe's worst hit nation in terms of fatalities.

Iran toll tops 30 000

Iran's death toll in Iran has surpassed 30 000, the health ministry announced, with 253 deaths over the past 24 hours, spokesperson Sima Sadat Lari said.

Iran's overall death toll is now 30 123 since it reported its first fatalities eight months ago and the country has recorded a total of 526 490 cases.

Half of England restricted

About 28 million people in England, more than half the population, are now living under tough restrictions imposed amid a surge in virus cases.

Some virus hotspots are seeing bans on household mixing and the closure of pubs in Britain, Europe's hardest-hit country with over 43 000 deaths from almost 700 000 cases.

But the government has come out against a new complete lockdown to preserve the economy, despite calls by scientific advisers and the opposition Labour party. Britain is the hardest-hit country in Europe, with over 43 000 deaths from almost 700 000 cases.

Austrian FM positive

Austria's Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg has tested positive for Covid-19, his ministry said, although he has no symptoms as yet.

His Swedish counterpart Ann Linde has begun self-isolating after meeting up with Schallenberg at an EU meeting of foreign ministers in Luxembourg on Monday.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier's spokesperson said the 64-year-old is in self-isolation after a bodyguard tested positive for the virus.

- AFP

'One-der-ful': Australia's coronavirus hotspot records single case

Australia's coronavirus hotspot of Victoria recorded a single case of the disease on Saturday - the lowest daily number since early June - and no deaths, with the state's top health official saying the figures were "one-der-ful".

Victoria's capital Melbourne, which has been the epicentre of the country's Covid-19 outbreak, is in its third month of a stringent lockdown and Premier Daniel Andrews is due to update plans to ease restrictions across the state on Sunday.

"We live in hope," Brett Sutton, Victoria's chief health officer, said at a televised news conference. Earlier, when the coronavirus numbers were released, he said on his Twitter account: "One. One-der-ful".

- Reuters

FACTBOX | Latest on the worldwide spread of coronavirus

MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA

* South African cases reported since the first infection in early March surpassed 700 000, amid fears of an impending second wave as the nation battles an economic recession.

* Israel said it would begin easing a second nationwide lockdown after a steady decline in daily infection rates, and examine how best to reopen holy sites in Jerusalem.

EUROPE

* The EU should renegotiate a $1.17 billion contract it sealed last week with Gilead for a six-month supply of remdesivir after it showed poor results in a large trial, experts said.

* With one of the world's highest fatality rates, Belgium is expected to tighten restrictions as infections soar and hospitals risk running out of beds.

* Malta is making the wearing of face masks mandatory in public and ordering clubs, bars and places of entertainment to close at 23:00.

* Britain put more of northwest England into the highest Covid alert level in the face of rising case numbers.

* Some 1 000 hospitality workers rallied in Barcelona to protest a 15-day shutdown of bars and restaurants.

AMERICAS

* US President Donald Trump called for a big economic stimulus as US infections surpassed eight million, with record spikes in several states.

* Mexico's president said he would take a Covid-19 vaccine in public if doctors approve the treatment for him. The country's death toll surpassed 85 000 on Thursday.

ASIA-PACIFIC

* Delhi residents with pre-existing health conditions such as asthma are stocking up on oxygen cylinders and pulse oximeters, fearing that worsening air quality will make them more vulnerable to Covid-19.

MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS

* Pfizer Inc said it could file in late November for US authorisation of the Covid-19 vaccine it is developing, suggesting that a vaccine could potentially be available in the country by the end of the year.

* The World Health Organisation said it would assess monoclonal antibodies and other antiviral drugs in its trial of potential Covid-19 treatments, after the trial found Gilead Science's remdesivir had no impact on survival rates.

* "Human challenge" trials of potential vaccines, where volunteers are deliberately infected with the disease, could become a reality after a British biotech firm said it was in advanced talks with the government.

- Reuters

FACTBOX | Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 39.07 million, death toll at 1 099 592

More than 39.07 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 1 099 592 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

US passes eight million confirmed coronavirus cases: Johns Hopkins

The United States on Friday crossed eight million confirmed coronavirus cases, according to a running tally by Johns Hopkins University.

The figure of 8 008 402 cases confirmed by tests is the highest in the world, with India second at 7.4 million cases and Brazil third with 5.1 million.

According to the tracker, more than 218 000 people have died from Covid-19 in the US, which is also a global high.

-AFP