LIVE | Covid-19 in SA: Death toll at 20 671 as cases rise to 759 658

FACTBOX | Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 56.54 million, death toll at 1 354 227

More than 56.54 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 1 354 227 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

FACTBOX | Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 56.54 million, death toll at 1 354 227

More than 56.54 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 1 354 227 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

SA's latest Covid-19 numbers

The number of cases is now at 759 658.

The death toll has hit 20 671, after 115 more deaths.

The recovery rate is at 92.6%, with 702 544 people having recovered.

Amid coronavirus spike, pressure grows on US agency to approve Trump-to-Biden transition

A little-known agency that keeps the US federal bureaucracy running is the biggest impediment to new efforts to fight the coronavirus outbreak, Democratic President-elect Joe Biden said on Wednesday.

Japan on 'maximum alert' on Covid-19, Tokyo at highest level

Japan is on "maximum alert" after confirming a record number of daily coronavirus cases, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Thursday, but said the government was not yet planning to impose more restrictions to curb the outbreak.

Some 2 201 new cases were recorded across the country on Wednesday, with nearly 500 in the capital, Tokyo, a sprawling metropolis of nearly 14 million people.

City authorities later raised the city to the highest of a four-tier scale, but the move does not come with any additional restrictions on activity and Japanese media said early business closures were unlikely for now.

- Al Jazeera

FACTBOX | Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 55.93 million, death toll at 1 343 584

More than 55.93 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 1 343 584 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

India nears 9 million coronavirus cases

India recorded 45 576 new cases of the coronavirus, taking total infections to 8.96 million, data from the health ministry said on Thursday.

The South Asian nation has the world's second-highest number of Covid-19 infections, after the United States, but cases have been falling since hitting a peak in September.

Deaths rose by 585, with the total now at 131 578, the ministry said.

- Reuters

SA's latest Covid-19 numbers

The number of case is now at 757 144.

The death toll is now at 20 556. 

The recovery rate is at 92.6%, with 701 534 people having recovered.

Putin 'alarmed' by Russia's spike in virus deaths

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday voiced concern over the country's rising coronavirus fatality rate but said the outbreak was under control.

Health officials reported a total of 1.99 million infections on Wednesday, which is the fifth-highest caseload in the world.

"The number of new cases is rising... and what's most alarming - the death rate is increasing," Putin said at a government meeting broadcast on state television.

Health authorities also reported a new record of 456 coronavirus deaths over 24 hours.

Putin acknowledged Wednesday that several regions were experiencing medicine shortages and long waiting times for ambulances but said authorities had a handle on the situation.

He added that regional heads should not sugar-coat the situation, noting that "it is completely unacceptable to pretend that all is fine".

- AFP

A Texas store is using drones to deliver Covid-19 test kits as city struggles with overflowing hospitals

The program — a partnership between Walmart, the Quest Diagnostics lab, and DroneUp — launched Tuesday.

Currently, anyone who qualifies for a test and lives in a single-family home within a mile and a half of a participating Walmart store in East El Paso can have one delivered for free by drone

As SA’s first Covid-19 peak built up, medical aids spent less than in 2019

In the immediate run-up to South Africa's first peak in coronavirus infections and deaths attributed to Covid-19, spending by medical schemes declined, new data shows.

In the three months to the end of June, the "net relevant healthcare expenditure" per medical aid beneficiary per month was R1,474, the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) said in a summary of the quarterly filings it received from funds.

Gelant on Covid-19: 'For us, to be disciplined is far bigger than just the game'

Stormers fullback Warrick Gelant says they have placed a strong emphasis on remaining disciplined in their attempts to help curb the spread of the coronavirus.

The Super Rugby Unlocked tournament has been impacted by the virus and the latest casualty is the Stormers' match against the Sharks being cancelled after an outbreak in the Durbanites' camp.

Earlier in the tournament, the Lions v Cheetahs Round 3 clash was called off for similar reasons and the Lions' match against the Pumas last weekend was also called off.

Pfizer said on Wednesday there had been 170 cases of the disease in its trial of more 43 000 volunteers, of which 162 were observed in the placebo arm and eight were in the vaccine group.

Pfizer Inc said on Wednesday that final results from the late-stage trial of its Covid-19 vaccine show it was 95% effective, adding it had the required two-months of safety data and would apply for emergency US authorisation within days.

The drugmaker said efficacy of the vaccine developed with German partner BioNTech SE was consistent across age and ethnicity demographics, and that there were no major side effects, a sign that the immunization could be employed broadly around the world.

Efficacy in adults over 65 years, who are at particular risk from the virus, was over 94%.The final analysis comes just one week after initial results from the trial showed the vaccine was more than 90% effective. Moderna Inc on Monday released preliminary data for its vaccine, showing similar effectiveness.

Ten people developed severe Covid-19, one of whom received the vaccine.

It also said the vaccine was well-tolerated and that side effects were mostly mild to moderate and cleared up quickly.

The only severe adverse event that affected more than 2% of those vaccinated was fatigue, which affected 3.7% of recipients after the second dose. Older adults tended to report fewer and milder solicited adverse events following vaccination.

- Reuters

China targets frozen food imports over virus fears

Chinese health officials said on Wednesday that two cold-chain storage workers in the port city of Tianjin were infected with Covid-19, as the country shifts focus to contaminated imports after a number of outbreaks linked to frozen food.

Workers in hazmat suits were painstakingly screening food shipments across a country which has largely brought domestic infections under control but now blames a resurgence of local infections on imports.

Mass-testing campaigns have been rolled out after reports of coronavirus traces on imported food and packaging, with state TV showing workers hosing down food transport trucks with disinfectant and inspecting packages of frozen salmon.

- AFP

India's tally of coronavirus infections exceeds 8.9 million

India recorded 38,617 new coronavirus infections, taking its tally to 8.9 million, health ministry data showed on Wednesday.

The south Asian nation's infections are the second highest in the world after the United States, but they have slowed from a September peak, despite celebrations of several major festivals that authorities had feared could trigger a spike.

Deaths rose by 474 in the last 24 hours, taking the toll to 130 993, the ministry added.

- Reuters

Exercising while wearing your face mask on is not dangerous, researchers say

Since a face mask is supposed to cover the mouth and nose in order to limit the spread of the new coronavirus, wearing one while exercising is uncomfortable for most people.

However, contrary to previous findings that wearing a mask during exercising impairs oxygen intake – as well as the World Health Organisation's official advice, stating that “people should NOT wear masks while exercising, as masks may reduce the ability to breathe comfortably" – a new study suggests that this isn’t the case.

New Zealand had great success in containing Covid-19, but public wellbeing paid a price

The Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent changes brought about by lockdowns disturbed the mental wellbeing of millions of people worldwide.

While many countries struggled to cope with high numbers of seriously ill patients, New Zealand’s speedy reaction contained and ultimately eliminated the virus. These measures, however, came at a cost, not just to the country's economy, but also to its people’s mental wellbeing, according to recent survey results.

FACTBOX | Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 55.3 million, death toll at 1 332 354

More than 55.3 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 1 332 354 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

SA's latest Covid-19 numbers

The number of cases is now at 754 256. 

The death toll sits at 20 432. 

The recovery rate is at 92.4%.

Russia has a third vaccine against Covid-19 and India and China are prepared to manufacture it, according to its president Vladimir Putin.

Putin was delivering the opening address at the 12th BRICS Summit, hosted by Russia and held virtually, on Tuesday. Presidents of member states – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa were also in attendance. The multilateral organisation was established in 2009.

Sharks saddened by Stormers game cancellation

The Sharks said they were saddened by the cancellation of their Super Rugby Unlocked clash against the Stormers due to a Covid-19 outbreak in their forward pack.

SA Rugby revealed on Tuesday that the game, originally scheduled for Saturday evening in Durban, had been cancelled due to a number of the Sharks tighthead props testing positive for Covid-19.

Covid-19: Western Cape issues 'hotspot alert' for Garden Route

According to Western Cape Premier Alan Winde, this spike was the main contributor to the notable growth of active cases in the Western Cape.

"Specifically, we are concerned about the increasing number of cases in George, Knysna and Bitou," said Winde.

Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus right now:

Merkel very worried about Berlin

The situation in Germany is still very serious even though infection numbers are not rising so fast, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday, after federal and state leaders postponed until 25 November a decision on further lockdown measures.

Merkel said she would have preferred to have agreed stricter rules at a meeting with federal and state leaders on Monday, adding she was very worried about the uncontrolled spread of coronavirus in some places, including the capital Berlin.

France regaining control

France's health minister Olivier Veran said on Tuesday the country was regaining control over the coronavirus but was not ready to ease the second national lockdown.

After curfew measures applied in major French cities in mid-October failed to produce the results the government had hoped for, it enforced a one-month lockdown on 30 October, though it was less strict than the one that ran from 17 March to 11 May.

- Reuters

Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus right now:

Vaccine success gives world more hope

Moderna's experimental vaccine is 94.5% effective in preventing Covid-19 based on interim data from a late-stage trial, the company said, becoming the second US drugmaker to report results that far exceed expectations.

Together with Pfizer's vaccine, which is also more than 90% effective, and pending more safety data and regulatory review, the United States could have two vaccines authorized for emergency use in December with as many as 60 million doses of vaccine available this year.

South Korea warns of new crisis

South Korea will impose stricter social distancing rules for the greater Seoul area a month after easing them, officials said on Tuesday, warning of an even bigger crisis if anti-Covid-19 efforts fail to dampen a spike in new cases.

Tighter curbs will ban public gatherings of 100 people or more, limit religious services and audiences at sporting events to 30% capacity, and require high-risk facilities including clubs and karaoke bars to broaden distance among guests.

More Covid drama as Sharks-Stormers clash called off, but hope for Bulls

Super Rugby Unlocked is set to end with a whimper after SA Rugby on Tuesday announced that the highly-anticipated coastal battle between the Sharks and Stormers has been called off due to Covid-19 protocols.

The decision was taken after this week's round of mandatory testing revealed an outbreak among the Durbanites' group of tighthead props.

Moderna's Covid vaccine doesn't require a deep-freeze - but you need two shots a month apart

Both Moderna and Pfizer's vaccines require two shots. Moderna's two doses are administered a month apart, while Pfizer's are given three weeks apart.

Valve masks don't slow the spread of the Covid-19 virus - and here's the science to back it up

Wearing a face mask is one of the most important ways to slow the spread of the virus, but in masks with valves, unfiltered air was found to escape.

Masks with exhalation valves, however, do not slow the spread of the virus, a researcher from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has found.

'Model pupil' Austria under strain in virus second wave

While Austria was held up as a model to follow during the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic, its return to lockdown on Tuesday has sparked a backlash against the government.

Experts, news outlets and opposition politicians have been lining up to condemn the conservative-green coalition government of Chancellor Sebastian Kurz for its handling of the second wave.

"Lack of anticipation" and "irresponsible behaviour" are just some of the criticisms levelled at the administration since the new lockdown was announced on Saturday.

- AFP

FACTBOX | Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 54.59 million, death toll at 1 320 446

More than 54.59 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 1 320 446 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

Germany's confirmed coronavirus cases rise by 14 419 to 815 746 - RKI

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 14 419 to 815 746, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Tuesday.

The reported death toll rose by 267 to 12 814, the tally showed.

- Reuters

The race for a vaccine: What you need to know

Drugmakers and research centers around the world are working on Covid-19 vaccines, with large global trials of several of the candidates involving tens of thousands of participants well underway.

Who is furthest along? Moderna Inc is the second US pharmaceutical company to release interim data showing that its vaccine worked in a large, late-stage clinical trial. The biotech firm said its vaccine was 94.5% effective.

One week ago, US drugmaker Pfizer Inc and German partner BioNTech SE released interim data and said their shot was more than 90% effective at stopping Covid-19.Interim late-stage trial results for Russia's Sputnik V vaccine published on 11 November showed the shot is 92% effective.

The next data release will likely be from AstraZeneca Plc with the University of Oxford in November or December. Johnson & Johnson says it is on track to deliver data this year.

What happens in these trials? The companies are testing their vaccines against a placebo - typically saline solution - in healthy volunteers to see if the rate of Covid-19 infection among those who got the vaccine is significantly lower than in those who received the dummy shot.

How well are the vaccines supposed to work? The World Health Organisation ideally wants to see at least 70% efficacy in trials. The US Food and Drug Administration wants at least 50% - which means there must be at least twice as many infections among volunteers who received a placebo as among those in the vaccine group. The European Medicines Agency has said it may accept a lower efficacy level.

- Reuters

Indonesia reports 3 535 new coronavirus infections, 85 deaths

Indonesia reported 3 535 new coronavirus infections on Monday, taking the total number to 470 648, data from the country's health ministry website showed.

The data showed 85 new deaths, bringing the total to 15 296.

Indonesia has the highest number of coronavirus cases and deaths from Covid-19 in Southeast Asia.

- Reuters

Germany: We have wiggle room to provide more coronavirus aid

The German government has the means to provide additional aid to cushion the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the economy should this be needed, deputy finance minister Joerg Kukies said on Monday.

- Reuters

Australia races to contain Adelaide virus outbreak

A sudden coronavirus cluster emerged in the Australian city of Adelaide on Monday after seven months without a significant outbreak there, with the virus again escaping from the country's hotel quarantine system.

South Australia state reported four cases had been detected in the city on Sunday, before the cluster grew sharply overnight to 17 people on Monday - the largest there since April.

All but two of the 17 were members of the same large family, including one who was working in a hotel used to quarantine travellers returning from overseas.

Fearful of case numbers spiralling, authorities snapped back a swathe of coronavirus restrictions and suspended international flights into Adelaide.

- AFP

FACTBOX | Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 54.22 million, death toll at 1 315 628

More than 54.22 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 1 315 628 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

eSwatini Prime Minister Ambrose Dlamini has tested positive for Covid-19 and is self-isolating at home, he said in a government statement on Sunday.

Dlamini is asymptomatic and feeling well, he added.

-Reuters

We still don't know why Africa had lower rates of infections.

We can say for a fact that we tested as much as we could.

Anybody who goes for surgery or is admitted to hospital must be tested for Covid-19.

We are also discussing says Mkhize where vaccine will be made available to more countries and does not exclude poorer countries.

There are trial going on for a Covid-19 vaccine says Mkhize.

One initiative involves Pfizer, says Mkhize.

Mkhize says no decision has been taken to ban any events.

Alcohol sales contributed to the filling of hospitals and made it difficult for health workers to attend the sick. 

We have to try and balance situations, says Mkhize.

"We had to court to prove that there were scientific basis on restrictions," says Mkhize.

We hope that we won't need to put up restrictions, he says.

The Eastern Cape has invested in infrastructure projects and made more beds available.

Doctors Without Borders will give support to doctors, Cuban doctors from quieter districts will also be deployed to the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality. 

Mkhize says he will look into the issues health workers are facing when he is in the Eastern Cape during the week.

We can't say the second wave has arrived says Mkhize.

Activities can still be contained he says.