Despite an outbreak of the coronavirus caused by two new Omicron sub-variants of coronavirus; BA.4 and BA.5, South Africa has now put an end to school children wearing masks on Thursday (May 5).

The health ministry announced that regulations requiring all students to wear masks in class expired at midnight ad were not renewed. However, adults are still required to wear masks in public indoor locations, and there are still limits on the number of people for gatherings.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-chief-warns-world-is-blind-to-how-covid-is-mutating-after-safrica-reports-two-new-omicron-variants-476547" hreflang="en">After S.Africa reports two new Omicron variants, WHO chief warns world is blind to Covid mutations</a>

The country has officially reported over 3.8 million infected cases and 100,407 fatalities, the highest toll in Africa and yet just around half of the adult population has been properly vaccinated. Following a brief break in April, the number of cases has been in the country has been steadily increasing with reporting more than 6,100 cases on Wednesday (May 4).

Watch |&nbsp;More trouble for Jacob Zuma, probe finds questionable deals under his rule

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The ministry in a statement said, “The only way we can protect ourselves and our loved ones against this pandemic and the current rising number of positive cases is through vaccination and adhering to preventative measures at all times.”

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Indoor gatherings are limited to half of the venue capacity or 1,000 people and outdoor events can have 2,000 people with a negative covid test report. The inbound travellers are expected to be fully vaccinated and if not,&nbsp;to submit their negative covid test report.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-watchdog-warns-pandemic-is-far-from-over-will-continue-to-impact-our-lives-476651" hreflang="en">EU watchdog warns pandemic is 'far from over', will continue to impact our lives</a>

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, World Health Organisation chief on Wednesday said that the two Omicron sub-variant are to be blamed for the increase in infections in the country. He further said, “too soon to know whether these new sub-variants can cause more severe disease than other Omicron sub-variants." 
(With inputs from agencies)

Despite an outbreak of the coronavirus caused by two new Omicron sub-variants of coronavirus; BA.4 and BA.5, South Africa has now put an end to school children wearing masks on Thursday (May 5).

Despite an outbreak of the coronavirus caused by two new Omicron sub-variants of coronavirus; BA.4 and BA.5, South Africa has now put an end to school children wearing masks on Thursday (May 5). The health ministry announced that regulations requiring all students to wear masks in class expired at midnight ad were not renewed. However, adults are still required to wear masks in public indoor locations, and there are still limits on the number of people for gatherings. Also read | After S.Africa reports two new Omicron variants, WHO chief warns world is blind to Covid mutations The country has officially reported over 3.8 million infected cases and 100,407 fatalities, the highest toll in Africa and yet just around half of the adult population has been properly vaccinated. Following a brief break in April, the number of cases has been in the country has been steadily increasing with reporting more than 6,100 cases on Wednesday (May 4). Watch | More trouble for Jacob Zuma, probe finds questionable deals under his rule The ministry in a statement said, “The only way we can protect ourselves and our loved ones against this pandemic and the current rising number of positive cases is through vaccination and adhering to preventative measures at all times.” WATCH WION LIVE HERE: Indoor gatherings are limited to half of the venue capacity or 1,000 people and outdoor events can have 2,000 people with a negative covid test report. The inbound travellers are expected to be fully vaccinated and if not, to submit their negative covid test report. Also read | EU watchdog warns pandemic is 'far from over', will continue to impact our lives Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, World Health Organisation chief on Wednesday said that the two Omicron sub-variant are to be blamed for the increase in infections in the country. He further said, “too soon to know whether these new sub-variants can cause more severe disease than other Omicron sub-variants." (With inputs from agencies)

Despite an increase in COVID-19 cases, South Africa to drop masks for kids

According to South African officials, the&nbsp;coronavirus cases in the country have been on the rise for the first time in months.

The country's COVID-19 tracking agency said 4,631 infections were reported in the last 24 hours. South Africa had reported the presence of the Omicron variant last November as it spread worldwide.

The virus cases in the country were in control for the past several months but it registered a three-fold increase recently as health minister Joe Phaahla said the development was "worrying".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/over-seven-in-10-people-in-england-had-covid-19-study-473092">Also Read |&nbsp;Over seven in 10 people in England had COVID-19: Study</a>

The most number of cases were reported in the Gauteng area with flood-hit KwaZulu-Natal province also reporting COVID-19 cases. One person reportedly died due to the virus in the country on Friday.

In a report, the World Health Organisation(WHO), had said over two-thirds of Africans may have contracted the virus with official figures still lagging behind the actual reported cases.

Watch:&nbsp;Philippine ambassador dies in Covid Quarantine in China

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The UN health body said due to the lack of adequate testing facilities many cases had gone unreported 
&nbsp; 
Earlier this month, two South African cricketers - &nbsp;batsman Sarel Erwee and all-rounder Wiaan Mulder - had tested positive for the virus. 
&nbsp; 
South Africa has so far reported 3.7 million cases with the Omicron variant still the dominant in the country.

The country had recorded a total of 100,000 virus deaths last month, however, reports claim the actual death toll is far higher. Reports claim only 30 per cent of the population is fully vaccinated.

(With inputs from Agencies)&nbsp;

According to South African officials, the coronavirus cases in the country have been on the rise for the first time in months. The country's COVID-19 tracking agency said 4,631 infections were reported in the last 24 hours.

According to South African officials, the coronavirus cases in the country have been on the rise for the first time in months. The country's COVID-19 tracking agency said 4,631 infections were reported in the last 24 hours. South Africa had reported the presence of the Omicron variant last November as it spread worldwide. The virus cases in the country were in control for the past several months but it registered a three-fold increase recently as health minister Joe Phaahla said the development was "worrying". Also Read | Over seven in 10 people in England had COVID-19: Study The most number of cases were reported in the Gauteng area with flood-hit KwaZulu-Natal province also reporting COVID-19 cases. One person reportedly died due to the virus in the country on Friday. In a report, the World Health Organisation(WHO), had said over two-thirds of Africans may have contracted the virus with official figures still lagging behind the actual reported cases. Watch: Philippine ambassador dies in Covid Quarantine in China The UN health body said due to the lack of adequate testing facilities many cases had gone unreported Earlier this month, two South African cricketers - batsman Sarel Erwee and all-rounder Wiaan Mulder - had tested positive for the virus. South Africa has so far reported 3.7 million cases with the Omicron variant still the dominant in the country. The country had recorded a total of 100,000 virus deaths last month, however, reports claim the actual death toll is far higher. Reports claim only 30 per cent of the population is fully vaccinated. (With inputs from Agencies)

South Africa reports surge in coronavirus cases; Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal worst-hit

Reports say at least 61 people have been detected with the virus onboard two KLM flights from South Africa.

The authorities are conducting tests to find out if the passengers have been affected by the new Omicron variant.&nbsp;&nbsp;The passengers had arrived at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport on two flights on Friday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/omicron-what-does-variant-of-concern-mean-432361">Also Read:&nbsp;Omicron: What does variant of concern mean?</a>

The Dutch health authorities confirmed 61 positive and 531 negative results on Saturday. Those who returned a negative test were asked by authorities to isolate at home. The virus-hit passengers have been isolated at a hotel near the airport.&nbsp;

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If you were on KLM flights from Jo'burg or Cape Town and got held as I did at Schipol - will you DM me? I can't get a copy of my alleged negative test (and thus can't leave) and am wondering if any one else has this problem. If you got your test result - pls DM and tell me how <a href="https://t.co/356pkUs7uX">https://t.co/356pkUs7uX</a>
— Stephanie Nolen (@snolen) <a href="https://twitter.com/snolen/status/1464503348648980482?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The World Health Organisation had designated the Omicron variant as a "variant of concern" after it was&nbsp;reported by South African authorities.&nbsp;

Watch: Thailand allows vaccinated travellers from over 60 countries

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European countries moved to ban flights to South Africa and other African countries as panic spread about the new virus variant.

US and Canada have also restricted travel from southern Africa. Reports said people flocked to the airport in Johannesburg as countries around the world began to bar travellers from entering their country.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/neither-nu-nor-xi-who-skips-two-greek-letters-for-naming-new-covid-variant-omicron-432328">Also Read | Neither Nu nor Xi: WHO skips two Greek letters for naming new Covid variant Omicron</a>

However, South African authorities described the ban as &nbsp;"draconian" and "unscientific". &nbsp;South African health minister Joe Phaahla had declared the reaction to the new variant was "unjustified".&nbsp;

UK banned flights from South African and other southern African countries as other European nations including Austria, France, Italy and Germany followed.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Reports say at least 61 people have been detected with the virus onboard two KLM flights from South Africa. The authorities are conducting tests to find out if the passengers have been affected by the new Omicron variant.

Reports say at least 61 people have been detected with the virus onboard two KLM flights from South Africa. The authorities are conducting tests to find out if the passengers have been affected by the new Omicron variant. The passengers had arrived at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport on two flights on Friday. Also Read: Omicron: What does variant of concern mean? The Dutch health authorities confirmed 61 positive and 531 negative results on Saturday. Those who returned a negative test were asked by authorities to isolate at home. The virus-hit passengers have been isolated at a hotel near the airport. × If you were on KLM flights from Jo'burg or Cape Town and got held as I did at Schipol - will you DM me? I can't get a copy of my alleged negative test (and thus can't leave) and am wondering if any one else has this problem. If you got your test result - pls DM and tell me how https://t.co/356pkUs7uX — Stephanie Nolen (@snolen) November 27, 2021 × The World Health Organisation had designated the Omicron variant as a "variant of concern" after it was reported by South African authorities. Watch: Thailand allows vaccinated travellers from over 60 countries European countries moved to ban flights to South Africa and other African countries as panic spread about the new virus variant. US and Canada have also restricted travel from southern Africa. Reports said people flocked to the airport in Johannesburg as countries around the world began to bar travellers from entering their country. Also Read | Neither Nu nor Xi: WHO skips two Greek letters for naming new Covid variant Omicron However, South African authorities described the ban as "draconian" and "unscientific". South African health minister Joe Phaahla had declared the reaction to the new variant was "unjustified". UK banned flights from South African and other southern African countries as other European nations including Austria, France, Italy and Germany followed. (With inputs from Agencies)

Passengers arriving from South Africa at Amsterdam airport test positive for COVID-19

The World Health Organisation(WHO) on Friday classified the new coronavirus strain detected in South Africa as a "variant of concern".

The world health body named the new B.1.1.529 strain as Omicron.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-virus-variant-detected-in-europe-as-belgium-reports-first-case-432173">Also Read:&nbsp;&nbsp;South Africa says UK’s travel ban order 'seems rushed'</a>

"Based on the evidence presented indicative of a detrimental change in COVID-19 epidemiology, the WHO has designated B.1.1.529 as a variant of concern, named Omicron," it said.

The variant entered Europe as Belgium reported the first case as European nations moved to impose travel ban&nbsp;on South Africa&nbsp;and other southern African countries.

Watch:&nbsp;New variant of Wuhan virus discovered

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European Commission urged EU countries to "introduce rapidly restrictions on all travel into the EU from seven countries in the Southern Africa region" as Europe began to fortify its response against the virus.

Officials in Belgium said the Omicron strain was detected in a traveller from Egypt. The new virus strain was reportedly detected in South Africa's Gauteng province.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-threat-what-we-know-about-covid-b11529-or-nu-variant-supposedly-dangerous-than-delta-432075">Also Read:&nbsp;Here's what we know about Covid B.1.1.529, likely deadlier than Delta</a>

“This variant has a large number of mutations, some of which are concerning,” the WHO said, adding, "preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with this variant&nbsp;as compared to other variants of concern."

The&nbsp;new variant announcement and the resultant travel ban imposed by European nations hit world markets as US oil prices plunged.

(With inputs from Agencies)

The World Health Organisation(WHO) on Friday classified the new coronavirus strain detected in South Africa as a "variant of concern". The world health body named the new B.

The World Health Organisation(WHO) on Friday classified the new coronavirus strain detected in South Africa as a "variant of concern". The world health body named the new B.1.1.529 strain as Omicron. Also Read: South Africa says UK’s travel ban order 'seems rushed' "Based on the evidence presented indicative of a detrimental change in COVID-19 epidemiology, the WHO has designated B.1.1.529 as a variant of concern, named Omicron," it said. The variant entered Europe as Belgium reported the first case as European nations moved to impose travel ban on South Africa and other southern African countries. Watch: New variant of Wuhan virus discovered European Commission urged EU countries to "introduce rapidly restrictions on all travel into the EU from seven countries in the Southern Africa region" as Europe began to fortify its response against the virus. Officials in Belgium said the Omicron strain was detected in a traveller from Egypt. The new virus strain was reportedly detected in South Africa's Gauteng province. Also Read: Here's what we know about Covid B.1.1.529, likely deadlier than Delta “This variant has a large number of mutations, some of which are concerning,” the WHO said, adding, "preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with this variant as compared to other variants of concern." The new variant announcement and the resultant travel ban imposed by European nations hit world markets as US oil prices plunged. (With inputs from Agencies)

WHO classifies new COVID-19 strain as 'variant of concern'; names it Omicron

South Africa’s NICD (National Institute for Communicable Disease) has announced that the country has technically entered the third wave of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19</a>.

"South Africa technically entered the third wave today as the national 7-day moving average incidence (5959 cases) now exceeds the new wave threshold as defined by the Ministerial Advisory Committee," the institute tweeted.

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South Africa technically entered the 3rd wave today as the national 7-day moving average incidence (5959 cases) now exceeds the new wave threshold as defined by the Ministerial Advisory Committee.
— NICD (@nicd_sa) <a href="https://twitter.com/nicd_sa/status/1403036945886945285?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The MAC advisory defined the new wave 7-day moving average threshold as 30 per cent of the peak incidence of the previous wave, it said.

Out of the nine provinces, Gauteng is the worst-hit province with over 5,000 daily new cases.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> UPDATE: A total of 58 322 tests were conducted in the last 24 hrs, with 9 149 new cases, which represents a 15.7% positivity rate. A further 100 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> related deaths have been reported, bringing total fatalities to 57 410 to date. Read more: <a href="https://t.co/NDCvKvhk0U">https://t.co/NDCvKvhk0U</a> <a href="https://t.co/ihfV9mBwnu">pic.twitter.com/ihfV9mBwnu</a>
— NICD (@nicd_sa) <a href="https://twitter.com/nicd_sa/status/1403034257703026688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The latest statistics from NICD showed an increase of 844 hospital admissions in the past 24 hours and 127 additional hospital deaths.

As of 10 June, South Africa has recorded 9,149 new cases, 1,722,086 total cases and 57,410 deaths.

South Africa’s NICD (National Institute for Communicable Disease) has announced that the country has technically entered the third wave of COVID-19. "South Africa technically entered the third wave today as the national 7-day moving average incidence (5959 cases) now exceeds the new wave threshold as defined by the Ministerial Advisory Committee," the institute tweeted.

South Africa’s NICD (National Institute for Communicable Disease) has announced that the country has technically entered the third wave of COVID-19. "South Africa technically entered the third wave today as the national 7-day moving average incidence (5959 cases) now exceeds the new wave threshold as defined by the Ministerial Advisory Committee," the institute tweeted. South Africa technically entered the 3rd wave today as the national 7-day moving average incidence (5959 cases) now exceeds the new wave threshold as defined by the Ministerial Advisory Committee. — NICD (@nicd_sa) June 10, 2021 × The MAC advisory defined the new wave 7-day moving average threshold as 30 per cent of the peak incidence of the previous wave, it said. Out of the nine provinces, Gauteng is the worst-hit province with over 5,000 daily new cases. #COVID19 UPDATE: A total of 58 322 tests were conducted in the last 24 hrs, with 9 149 new cases, which represents a 15.7% positivity rate. A further 100 #COVID19 related deaths have been reported, bringing total fatalities to 57 410 to date. Read more: https://t.co/NDCvKvhk0U pic.twitter.com/ihfV9mBwnu — NICD (@nicd_sa) June 10, 2021 × The latest statistics from NICD showed an increase of 844 hospital admissions in the past 24 hours and 127 additional hospital deaths. As of 10 June, South Africa has recorded 9,149 new cases, 1,722,086 total cases and 57,410 deaths.

South Africa enters third wave of coronavirus; positivity rate reaches 15.7%

South Africa is seeing a gradual rise in new <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19</a> cases, increasing fears of the third wave.&nbsp;

As of Wednesday, the country reported 2,759 new cases, taking the total positive cases to over 1.6 million and total deaths to 54,968.&nbsp;

Reports say Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has warned the provinces that the country is in the third wave of COVID-19.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-africa-detects-covid-19-variants-first-found-in-india-uk-384042" hreflang="en">South Africa detects COVID-19 variants first found in India, UK</a>

"Kindly note that COVID-19 positive cases are rising rapidly. For all intents and purposes, we are in the third wave even if not fitting in the technical definition. The numbers will no longer go down other than if we start intensive containment measure," the minister was quoted as saying in reports to his communication to provinces.&nbsp;

Experts had earlier warned that during the winter season, new cases were expected to rise.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-african-president-ramaphosa-welcomes-us-support-for-waiver-of-covid-19-vaccine-patents-383228" hreflang="en">South African President Ramaphosa welcomes US support for waiver of COVID-19 vaccine patents</a>

Earlier in the week, the Network for Genomic Surveillance in South Africa (NGS-SA) confirmed that two variants of concern, other than the B.1.351 already dominating in the country, have been detected.

There were 11 cases of the B.1.1.7 variant which was first detected in the UK, while four cases of the B.1.617.2 variant, which was first detected in India, had been detected.

Some of the country’s top scientists have warned that the COVID-19 strain detected in South Africa could spread fast.

South Africa is seeing a gradual rise in new COVID-19 cases, increasing fears of the third wave. As of Wednesday, the country reported 2,759 new cases, taking the total positive cases to over 1.

South Africa is seeing a gradual rise in new COVID-19 cases, increasing fears of the third wave. As of Wednesday, the country reported 2,759 new cases, taking the total positive cases to over 1.6 million and total deaths to 54,968. Reports say Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has warned the provinces that the country is in the third wave of COVID-19. Also read | South Africa detects COVID-19 variants first found in India, UK "Kindly note that COVID-19 positive cases are rising rapidly. For all intents and purposes, we are in the third wave even if not fitting in the technical definition. The numbers will no longer go down other than if we start intensive containment measure," the minister was quoted as saying in reports to his communication to provinces. Experts had earlier warned that during the winter season, new cases were expected to rise. Also read | South African President Ramaphosa welcomes US support for waiver of COVID-19 vaccine patents Earlier in the week, the Network for Genomic Surveillance in South Africa (NGS-SA) confirmed that two variants of concern, other than the B.1.351 already dominating in the country, have been detected. There were 11 cases of the B.1.1.7 variant which was first detected in the UK, while four cases of the B.1.617.2 variant, which was first detected in India, had been detected. Some of the country’s top scientists have warned that the COVID-19 strain detected in South Africa could spread fast.

South Africa: Experts warn against third wave of coronavirus

In a year that has seesawed between astonishing gains and brutal setbacks on COVID-19, few moments were as sobering as the revelation last month that a coronavirus variant in South Africa was dampening the effect of one of the world’s most potent vaccines.

That finding — from a South African trial of the Oxford-AstraZeneca shot — exposed how quickly the virus had managed to dodge human antibodies, ending what some researchers have described as the world’s honeymoon period with COVID-19 vaccines and setting back hopes for containing the pandemic.

As countries adjust to that jarring turn of fortune, the story of how scientists uncovered the dangers of the variant in South Africa has put a spotlight on the global vaccine trials that were indispensable in warning the world.

“Historically, people might have thought a problem in a country like South Africa would stay in South Africa,” said Mark Feinberg, chief executive of IAVI, a nonprofit scientific research group. “But we’ve seen how quickly variants are cropping up all around the world. Even wealthy countries have to pay a lot of attention to the evolving landscape all around the world.”

Once afterthoughts in the vaccine race, those global trials have saved the world from sleepwalking into year two of the coronavirus, oblivious to the way the pathogen could blunt the body’s immune response, scientists said. They also hold lessons about how vaccine-makers can fight new variants this year and redress long-standing health inequities.

The deck is often stacked against medicine trials in poorer countries; drug and vaccine-makers gravitate to their biggest commercial markets, often avoiding the expense and the uncertainty of testing products in the global south. Less than 3% of clinical trials are held in Africa.

Yet the emergence of new variants in South Africa and Brazil has shown that vaccine-makers cannot afford to wait years, as they often used to, before testing whether shots made for rich countries work in poorer ones, too.

“If you don’t identify and react to what’s happening in some supposedly far-flung continent, it significantly impacts global health,” said Clare Cutland, a vaccine scientist at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, who coordinated the Oxford trial. “These results highlighted to the world that we’re not dealing with a single pathogen that sits there and does nothing; it’s constantly mutating.”

Despite offering minimal protection against mild or moderate cases caused by the variant in South Africa, the Oxford vaccine is likely to keep those patients from becoming severely ill, averting a surge of hospitalizations and deaths. Lab studies have generated a mix of hopeful and more worrisome results about how much the variant interferes with Pfizer’s and Moderna’s shots.

Nevertheless, vaccine-makers are racing to test updated booster shots. And countries are trying to isolate cases of the variant, which the South African trials showed may also be able to reinfect people.

Last March, long before scientists were fretting about variants, Shabir Madhi, a veteran vaccinologist at the University of the Witwatersrand, began lobbying vaccine-makers to let him run trials.

Aware of how long Africa often waits for lifesaving vaccines, as it did for swine flu shots a decade ago, Madhi wanted to quickly study how COVID-19 vaccines worked on the continent, including in people with HIV. He hoped that would leave the world no excuse for delaying approvals or supplies. Different socioeconomic and health conditions can change vaccines’ performance.

“Am sure I can get funding,” he emailed the Oxford team March 31 last year, adding that it “would be important to evaluate in context of HIV.”

Oxford agreed, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation contributed $7.3 million, cementing its role as a linchpin of efforts to steer vaccine trials to the global south.

Nevertheless, the trial had to contend with difficulties that bigger, better-resourced studies in the United States and Europe did not. For one thing, Madhi’s team had to eliminate several trial sites because they did not have cold enough freezers or backup generators, a necessity in a country where frequent power outages could imperil precious doses.

Even once the researchers locked down sites, relying on clinics with experience running HIV studies, the trial nearly came undone. Test results showed that nearly half the earliest volunteers were already infected with the virus at the time they were vaccinated, voiding their results.

“We had a limited amount of funding and a limited number of vaccines,” Cutland said. “We were very concerned about the trial being totally derailed.”

At another trial site, all three pharmacists contracted COVID-19, sidelining the only people allowed to prepare shots. Nurses on the trial lost siblings and parents to the disease. The staff was so overwhelmed that when vaccine executives called from abroad, the phones sometimes rang and rang.

The force of the pandemic in South Africa — 51,000 people have died, and up to half the population may have been infected — nearly toppled the trial. But that was also part of what drew vaccine-makers: More cases mean faster results.

Madhi’s team weathered the storm, working 12-hour days and adding last-minute swabs to ensure that volunteers were not already infected. By May he had asked Novavax, then a little-known American company with Trump administration backing, to run a trial there, too. Novavax agreed, and the Gates Foundation kicked in $15 million. But the trial was registered only several months later.

Novavax said the trial had taken time to set up. But the delay also reflected what scientists described as the pressure on U.S.-backed vaccine-makers to focus their efforts within the United States. Studies there are the best way of unlocking coveted approvals from the Food and Drug Administration, the world’s gold-standard medicines agency.

And vaccine-makers tend to know their biggest markets best.

“Companies have the most experience doing clinical trials in parts of the world that represent their commercial markets,” Feinberg said.

For vaccine-makers that have made supplying the world a centerpiece of their strategies, the trials were a boon. Novavax showed that its vaccine efficacy was only moderately weakened by the variant in South Africa. Johnson &amp;amp; Johnson, which also ran a South African trial, showed that its vaccine protected against hospitalization and death there.

“You have your fishing line in the water — and in the time we were there, the virus evolved,” said Dr. Gregory Glenn, president of research and development at Novavax. “This is invaluable data for us and the world.”

In a recent lab study, the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine protected hamsters exposed to the variant from becoming ill, even if the animals’ immune responses were somewhat weaker. The human trial in South Africa was too small to say definitively whether the vaccine prevented severe disease. But the finding that it provided minimal protection against milder cases was itself discouraging, given that the shot remains the backbone of many poorer countries’ rollouts.

In South Africa, the results scuppered plans to give the Oxford vaccine to health workers. Despite hosting trials, the country failed to leverage those into early purchase agreements, delaying supplies. Only one-fifth of 1% of people there have been inoculated, raising fears of another wave of deaths and further mutations.

If HIV research laid the groundwork for vaccine trials in South Africa, some scientists hope that an explosion of global studies in the pandemic will demonstrate to pharmaceutical companies that other countries have the infrastructure to run major trials, too.

To that end, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, a Gates-backed group, is incentivizing companies to hold further COVID-19 vaccine trials in poorer countries.

“People tend to go to what they know,” said Melanie Saville, director of the coalition’s vaccine research and development. “But capacity is increasing in low- and middle-income countries, and we need to encourage developers to utilize it.”

South Africans volunteered for the trials in huge numbers. Most mornings, Dr. Anthonet Koen, who ran a Johannesburg site for the Oxford and Novavax trials, opened her doors at 6 a.m., by which time participants had already been lining up outside for two hours.

On Dec. 11, Koen noticed the pandemic picking up; after weeks without a case, two people in the trial tested positive. Then more and more, every day. Health officials announced the discovery of the variant a week later. The serendipitous placement of the trials gave scientists what they almost never have: an open-air laboratory for watching, in real time, as a vaccine and a variant faced off.

Since the Oxford results were announced last month, Koen said, volunteers have been trying to console her. “I’m getting a lot of messages of condolence and ‘I’m sorry,’” she said.

So long as that vaccine and others prevent severe disease, even in cases of the variant, the world can live with the virus, scientists said. But the trial in South Africa nevertheless underscored the need to stamp out the virus before it mutates further. Without it, scientists said, the world could have been blind to what was coming.

“We would anticipate these variants are not the end of the story,” said Andrew Pollard, the Oxford scientist in charge of its trials. “For the virus to survive, once populations have good immunity against the current variants, it must continue to mutate.”

In a year that has seesawed between astonishing gains and brutal setbacks on COVID-19, few moments were as sobering as the revelation last month that a coronavirus variant in South Africa was dampening the effect of one of the world’s most potent vaccines.

In a year that has seesawed between astonishing gains and brutal setbacks on COVID-19, few moments were as sobering as the revelation last month that a coronavirus variant in South Africa was dampening the effect of one of the world’s most potent vaccines. That finding — from a South African trial of the Oxford-AstraZeneca shot — exposed how quickly the virus had managed to dodge human antibodies, ending what some researchers have described as the world’s honeymoon period with COVID-19 vaccines and setting back hopes for containing the pandemic. As countries adjust to that jarring turn of fortune, the story of how scientists uncovered the dangers of the variant in South Africa has put a spotlight on the global vaccine trials that were indispensable in warning the world. “Historically, people might have thought a problem in a country like South Africa would stay in South Africa,” said Mark Feinberg, chief executive of IAVI, a nonprofit scientific research group. “But we’ve seen how quickly variants are cropping up all around the world. Even wealthy countries have to pay a lot of attention to the evolving landscape all around the world.” Once afterthoughts in the vaccine race, those global trials have saved the world from sleepwalking into year two of the coronavirus, oblivious to the way the pathogen could blunt the body’s immune response, scientists said. They also hold lessons about how vaccine-makers can fight new variants this year and redress long-standing health inequities. The deck is often stacked against medicine trials in poorer countries; drug and vaccine-makers gravitate to their biggest commercial markets, often avoiding the expense and the uncertainty of testing products in the global south. Less than 3% of clinical trials are held in Africa. Yet the emergence of new variants in South Africa and Brazil has shown that vaccine-makers cannot afford to wait years, as they often used to, before testing whether shots made for rich countries work in poorer ones, too. “If you don’t identify and react to what’s happening in some supposedly far-flung continent, it significantly impacts global health,” said Clare Cutland, a vaccine scientist at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, who coordinated the Oxford trial. “These results highlighted to the world that we’re not dealing with a single pathogen that sits there and does nothing; it’s constantly mutating.” Despite offering minimal protection against mild or moderate cases caused by the variant in South Africa, the Oxford vaccine is likely to keep those patients from becoming severely ill, averting a surge of hospitalizations and deaths. Lab studies have generated a mix of hopeful and more worrisome results about how much the variant interferes with Pfizer’s and Moderna’s shots. Nevertheless, vaccine-makers are racing to test updated booster shots. And countries are trying to isolate cases of the variant, which the South African trials showed may also be able to reinfect people. Last March, long before scientists were fretting about variants, Shabir Madhi, a veteran vaccinologist at the University of the Witwatersrand, began lobbying vaccine-makers to let him run trials. Aware of how long Africa often waits for lifesaving vaccines, as it did for swine flu shots a decade ago, Madhi wanted to quickly study how COVID-19 vaccines worked on the continent, including in people with HIV. He hoped that would leave the world no excuse for delaying approvals or supplies. Different socioeconomic and health conditions can change vaccines’ performance. “Am sure I can get funding,” he emailed the Oxford team March 31 last year, adding that it “would be important to evaluate in context of HIV.” Oxford agreed, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation contributed $7.3 million, cementing its role as a linchpin of efforts to steer vaccine trials to the global south. Nevertheless, the trial had to contend with difficulties that bigger, better-resourced studies in the United States and Europe did not. For one thing, Madhi’s team had to eliminate several trial sites because they did not have cold enough freezers or backup generators, a necessity in a country where frequent power outages could imperil precious doses. Even once the researchers locked down sites, relying on clinics with experience running HIV studies, the trial nearly came undone. Test results showed that nearly half the earliest volunteers were already infected with the virus at the time they were vaccinated, voiding their results. “We had a limited amount of funding and a limited number of vaccines,” Cutland said. “We were very concerned about the trial being totally derailed.” At another trial site, all three pharmacists contracted COVID-19, sidelining the only people allowed to prepare shots. Nurses on the trial lost siblings and parents to the disease. The staff was so overwhelmed that when vaccine executives called from abroad, the phones sometimes rang and rang. The force of the pandemic in South Africa — 51,000 people have died, and up to half the population may have been infected — nearly toppled the trial. But that was also part of what drew vaccine-makers: More cases mean faster results. Madhi’s team weathered the storm, working 12-hour days and adding last-minute swabs to ensure that volunteers were not already infected. By May he had asked Novavax, then a little-known American company with Trump administration backing, to run a trial there, too. Novavax agreed, and the Gates Foundation kicked in $15 million. But the trial was registered only several months later. Novavax said the trial had taken time to set up. But the delay also reflected what scientists described as the pressure on U.S.-backed vaccine-makers to focus their efforts within the United States. Studies there are the best way of unlocking coveted approvals from the Food and Drug Administration, the world’s gold-standard medicines agency. And vaccine-makers tend to know their biggest markets best. “Companies have the most experience doing clinical trials in parts of the world that represent their commercial markets,” Feinberg said. For vaccine-makers that have made supplying the world a centerpiece of their strategies, the trials were a boon. Novavax showed that its vaccine efficacy was only moderately weakened by the variant in South Africa. Johnson &amp; Johnson, which also ran a South African trial, showed that its vaccine protected against hospitalization and death there. “You have your fishing line in the water — and in the time we were there, the virus evolved,” said Dr. Gregory Glenn, president of research and development at Novavax. “This is invaluable data for us and the world.” In a recent lab study, the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine protected hamsters exposed to the variant from becoming ill, even if the animals’ immune responses were somewhat weaker. The human trial in South Africa was too small to say definitively whether the vaccine prevented severe disease. But the finding that it provided minimal protection against milder cases was itself discouraging, given that the shot remains the backbone of many poorer countries’ rollouts. In South Africa, the results scuppered plans to give the Oxford vaccine to health workers. Despite hosting trials, the country failed to leverage those into early purchase agreements, delaying supplies. Only one-fifth of 1% of people there have been inoculated, raising fears of another wave of deaths and further mutations. If HIV research laid the groundwork for vaccine trials in South Africa, some scientists hope that an explosion of global studies in the pandemic will demonstrate to pharmaceutical companies that other countries have the infrastructure to run major trials, too. To that end, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, a Gates-backed group, is incentivizing companies to hold further COVID-19 vaccine trials in poorer countries. “People tend to go to what they know,” said Melanie Saville, director of the coalition’s vaccine research and development. “But capacity is increasing in low- and middle-income countries, and we need to encourage developers to utilize it.” South Africans volunteered for the trials in huge numbers. Most mornings, Dr. Anthonet Koen, who ran a Johannesburg site for the Oxford and Novavax trials, opened her doors at 6 a.m., by which time participants had already been lining up outside for two hours. On Dec. 11, Koen noticed the pandemic picking up; after weeks without a case, two people in the trial tested positive. Then more and more, every day. Health officials announced the discovery of the variant a week later. The serendipitous placement of the trials gave scientists what they almost never have: an open-air laboratory for watching, in real time, as a vaccine and a variant faced off. Since the Oxford results were announced last month, Koen said, volunteers have been trying to console her. “I’m getting a lot of messages of condolence and ‘I’m sorry,’” she said. So long as that vaccine and others prevent severe disease, even in cases of the variant, the world can live with the virus, scientists said. But the trial in South Africa nevertheless underscored the need to stamp out the virus before it mutates further. Without it, scientists said, the world could have been blind to what was coming. “We would anticipate these variants are not the end of the story,” said Andrew Pollard, the Oxford scientist in charge of its trials. “For the virus to survive, once populations have good immunity against the current variants, it must continue to mutate.”

Can the world learn from South Africa’s vaccine trials?

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the country will be going down to level 1 lockdown from the current level 3, taking into account the lower <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19</a> numbers.&nbsp;

“Based on an assessment of the current state of the pandemic in the country, Cabinet decided earlier today to move the country from coronavirus alert level 3 to alert level 1,” Ramaphosa said during his address to the nation on Sunday.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-africa-receives-second-batch-of-jj-vaccines-366627" hreflang="en">South Africa receives second batch of J&amp;J vaccines</a>

The new alert level will come into effect later this evening (late Sunday) once the regulations have been gazetted. The hours of the curfew will now be from 12 midnight to 4 am, he said.&nbsp;

However, he cautioned that easing restrictions does not mean people should let their guard down. Under Alert Level 1, there are still few remaining restrictions because the new variant, known as 501Y.V2 is still the dominant variant in the country.&nbsp;

Under level 1, gatherings will be permitted, subject to limitations on size, adherence to social distancing and other health protocols. These will include religious, social, political and cultural gatherings.&nbsp;“The maximum number of people allowed at any gathering is 100 people indoors or 250 people outdoors,” Ramaphosa said.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/unemployment-in-south-africa-marks-highest-jump-since-2008-365695" hreflang="en">Unemployment in South Africa marks highest jump since 2008</a>

The sale of alcohol will be permitted, according to normal license provisions. However, no alcohol may be sold during the hours of curfew.

Wearing of mask in public places is still mandatory and failure to wear a mask, when required, remains a criminal offence.&nbsp;

The 33 land border posts that have been closed throughout this period will remain closed, while the other 20 will remain open.&nbsp;Only five airports will be open for international travel with standard infection control measures. These are OR Tambo, Cape Town, King Shaka, Kruger Mpumalanga and Lanseria airport.&nbsp;

According to the Department of Health’s latest statistics, as of Saturday, the cumulative number of confirmed COVID-19 cases stood at 1.5 million and deaths at 49,941.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the country will be going down to level 1 lockdown from the current level 3, taking into account the lower COVID-19 numbers.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the country will be going down to level 1 lockdown from the current level 3, taking into account the lower COVID-19 numbers. “Based on an assessment of the current state of the pandemic in the country, Cabinet decided earlier today to move the country from coronavirus alert level 3 to alert level 1,” Ramaphosa said during his address to the nation on Sunday. Also read | South Africa receives second batch of J&J vaccines The new alert level will come into effect later this evening (late Sunday) once the regulations have been gazetted. The hours of the curfew will now be from 12 midnight to 4 am, he said. However, he cautioned that easing restrictions does not mean people should let their guard down. Under Alert Level 1, there are still few remaining restrictions because the new variant, known as 501Y.V2 is still the dominant variant in the country. Under level 1, gatherings will be permitted, subject to limitations on size, adherence to social distancing and other health protocols. These will include religious, social, political and cultural gatherings. “The maximum number of people allowed at any gathering is 100 people indoors or 250 people outdoors,” Ramaphosa said. Also read | Unemployment in South Africa marks highest jump since 2008 The sale of alcohol will be permitted, according to normal license provisions. However, no alcohol may be sold during the hours of curfew. Wearing of mask in public places is still mandatory and failure to wear a mask, when required, remains a criminal offence. The 33 land border posts that have been closed throughout this period will remain closed, while the other 20 will remain open. Only five airports will be open for international travel with standard infection control measures. These are OR Tambo, Cape Town, King Shaka, Kruger Mpumalanga and Lanseria airport. According to the Department of Health’s latest statistics, as of Saturday, the cumulative number of confirmed COVID-19 cases stood at 1.5 million and deaths at 49,941.

South Africa goes to level 1 lockdown as Covid cases decline

Around half of South Africa's population may have already been infected with the novel coronavirus, a study suggests.

Samples taken from almost 5,000 blood donors across four South African provinces in January showed that between 32 and 63 per cent had antibodies to the coronavirus.

The figure compares with clinically confirmed case rates of just 2 to 3 per cent, according to South African research that was released online last week, but has not yet completed peer review.

People with confirmed or suspected Covid-19 are unable to donate blood for 14 days, and therefore less likely to be sampled.

Antibodies are a telltale of an individual's exposure to the virus, but not a confirmation that the person has fallen sick from it.

Most antibodies were detected in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces. Both were epicentres of South Africa's second infection wave when it started in December.

South Africa kicked off its long-awaited inoculation campaign on Wednesday with jabs developed by US pharmaceutical giant Johnson &amp; Johnson.

The country has so far recorded close to 1.5 million coronavirus cases, of which just under 48,500 have been fatal -- the highest toll in Africa.

Steep estimates that South Africa's Covid-19 mortality stands around 0.4 per cent -- a figure derived from an Infection Fatality Rate published by London's Imperial College for modelling.

The South African variant of the coronavirus, which is more transmissible and more resistant to existing vaccines than its original form, accounts for some 90 per cent of the country's second wave of cases.

Around half of South Africa's population may have already been infected with the novel coronavirus, a study suggests. Samples taken from almost 5,000 blood donors across four South African provinces in January showed that between 32 and 63 per cent had antibodies to the coronavirus.

Around half of South Africa's population may have already been infected with the novel coronavirus, a study suggests. Samples taken from almost 5,000 blood donors across four South African provinces in January showed that between 32 and 63 per cent had antibodies to the coronavirus. The figure compares with clinically confirmed case rates of just 2 to 3 per cent, according to South African research that was released online last week, but has not yet completed peer review. People with confirmed or suspected Covid-19 are unable to donate blood for 14 days, and therefore less likely to be sampled. Antibodies are a telltale of an individual's exposure to the virus, but not a confirmation that the person has fallen sick from it. Most antibodies were detected in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces. Both were epicentres of South Africa's second infection wave when it started in December. South Africa kicked off its long-awaited inoculation campaign on Wednesday with jabs developed by US pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson. The country has so far recorded close to 1.5 million coronavirus cases, of which just under 48,500 have been fatal -- the highest toll in Africa. Steep estimates that South Africa's Covid-19 mortality stands around 0.4 per cent -- a figure derived from an Infection Fatality Rate published by London's Imperial College for modelling. The South African variant of the coronavirus, which is more transmissible and more resistant to existing vaccines than its original form, accounts for some 90 per cent of the country's second wave of cases.

One in two South Africans infected with coronavirus, study says

South Africa has decided to reopen 20 land borders on Monday with a new set of rules.&nbsp;

In a statement on Saturday, Department of Home Affairs said, the move follows a cabinet decision to reopen the 20 land borders to ordinary travel.&nbsp;

The country’s land borders have been closed since January 11 in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-africa-extends-national-state-of-disaster-by-another-month-362876" hreflang="en">South Africa extends national state of disaster by another month</a>

The Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi is scheduled to be at Lebombo Border Post, Deputy Minister Njabulo Nzuza at Beitbridge and Director-General Tommy Makhode at Maseru Bridge and Ficksburg on Monday, February 15, 2021, when the land ports of entry reopen, the statement said.&nbsp;

Minister Motsoaledi said any person presenting themselves at any of the borders with fake COVID-19 certificates will be denied entry and barred from visiting South Africa for a period of at least five years.

“We appeal to travellers to ensure that they have all the requisite travel documents, including valid Covid-19 tests, when they present themselves to officials at our borders. Truck drivers should adhere to laws, regulations and agreements in place in the border area. This will go a long way in minimising congestion,” Minister Motsoaledi said.&nbsp;

South Africa has decided to reopen 20 land borders on Monday with a new set of rules. In a statement on Saturday, Department of Home Affairs said, the move follows a cabinet decision to reopen the 20 land borders to ordinary travel.

South Africa has decided to reopen 20 land borders on Monday with a new set of rules. In a statement on Saturday, Department of Home Affairs said, the move follows a cabinet decision to reopen the 20 land borders to ordinary travel. The country’s land borders have been closed since January 11 in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Also read| South Africa extends national state of disaster by another month The Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi is scheduled to be at Lebombo Border Post, Deputy Minister Njabulo Nzuza at Beitbridge and Director-General Tommy Makhode at Maseru Bridge and Ficksburg on Monday, February 15, 2021, when the land ports of entry reopen, the statement said. Minister Motsoaledi said any person presenting themselves at any of the borders with fake COVID-19 certificates will be denied entry and barred from visiting South Africa for a period of at least five years. “We appeal to travellers to ensure that they have all the requisite travel documents, including valid Covid-19 tests, when they present themselves to officials at our borders. Truck drivers should adhere to laws, regulations and agreements in place in the border area. This will go a long way in minimising congestion,” Minister Motsoaledi said.

South Africa to reopen 20 land borders

Public and private hospitals in South Africa is grappling with increasing number of Covid-19 patients. In the last seven days hospital admissions have doubled everywhere, Gauteng Premier David Makhura said today.&nbsp;

Makhura visited Steve Biko Academic hospital on Monday after grim pictures of the hospital was trending on social media.&nbsp;

Due to increased number of Covid-19 patients, the hospital put up several tents as treatment areas in its rooftop parking.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/south-africa-bans-alcohol-sales-tightens-curbs-as-coronavirus-cases-soars-355590">WATCH|</a>

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“The number of fatalities have increased exponentially in Gauteng province. You may remember we did say that after people return from festive season we will foresee significant increase,” Makhura said.

Some of the patients are coming from private hospitals because of lack of space, while others are self-referred from other provinces, he said.

South Africa’s recorded Covid-19 death toll surpasses 33,000 on Sunday and infections increased by 17, 412, taking the total to 1,231,597.

SA President Cyril Ramphosa is going to address the nation tonight at 8pm (local time) on developments in SA’s covid-19 response.

He is expected to address after NCCC meet ( National Coronavirus Command Council )

Public and private hospitals in South Africa is grappling with increasing number of Covid-19 patients. In the last seven days hospital admissions have doubled everywhere, Gauteng Premier David Makhura said today.

Public and private hospitals in South Africa is grappling with increasing number of Covid-19 patients. In the last seven days hospital admissions have doubled everywhere, Gauteng Premier David Makhura said today. Makhura visited Steve Biko Academic hospital on Monday after grim pictures of the hospital was trending on social media. Due to increased number of Covid-19 patients, the hospital put up several tents as treatment areas in its rooftop parking. WATCH| “The number of fatalities have increased exponentially in Gauteng province. You may remember we did say that after people return from festive season we will foresee significant increase,” Makhura said. Some of the patients are coming from private hospitals because of lack of space, while others are self-referred from other provinces, he said. South Africa’s recorded Covid-19 death toll surpasses 33,000 on Sunday and infections increased by 17, 412, taking the total to 1,231,597. SA President Cyril Ramphosa is going to address the nation tonight at 8pm (local time) on developments in SA’s covid-19 response. He is expected to address after NCCC meet ( National Coronavirus Command Council )

South Africa: Hospital struggle to provide beds as coronavirus cases surge

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) is meeting urgently today to discuss further measures to contain the second wave of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-records-several-coronavirus-cases-near-beijing-imposes-new-restrictions-354849">COVID-19</a>.

“NCCC is meeting today, to assess developments in South Africa’s National response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” the presidency’s official Twitter account stated.&nbsp;

“Should any announcements be required on the outcomes of today’s meeting or any meetings, such announcements will be made on officials accounts of the Government Communications and Information System (GCIS) and The Presidency,” the statement said.&nbsp;

It comes after several fake WhatsApp messages were doing the rounds stating that government is going to announce a hard lockdown.&nbsp;

According to the latest government statistics, there are more than 1.1 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and 30,524 deaths since March last year. In the last 24 hours there has been 14,410 new coronavirus cases.&nbsp;

In the first six days of the new year alone 1,637 people have died.&nbsp;

Last week while addressing the nation, the President said: “the new variant called 501.V2 is now well established in the country and it appears that it may be more contagious than the virus in the first wave of infection.”

Department of health, deputy director General, Anban Pillay told WION that it is not easy to estimate the number of new variant cases as of now.&nbsp;

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) is meeting urgently today to discuss further measures to contain the second wave of COVID-19.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) is meeting urgently today to discuss further measures to contain the second wave of COVID-19. “NCCC is meeting today, to assess developments in South Africa’s National response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” the presidency’s official Twitter account stated. “Should any announcements be required on the outcomes of today’s meeting or any meetings, such announcements will be made on officials accounts of the Government Communications and Information System (GCIS) and The Presidency,” the statement said. It comes after several fake WhatsApp messages were doing the rounds stating that government is going to announce a hard lockdown. According to the latest government statistics, there are more than 1.1 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and 30,524 deaths since March last year. In the last 24 hours there has been 14,410 new coronavirus cases. In the first six days of the new year alone 1,637 people have died. Last week while addressing the nation, the President said: “the new variant called 501.V2 is now well established in the country and it appears that it may be more contagious than the virus in the first wave of infection.” Department of health, deputy director General, Anban Pillay told WION that it is not easy to estimate the number of new variant cases as of now.

President Ramaphosa convenes meeting to combat second COVID-19 wave in South Africa

In order to ensure herd immunity, South Africa is aiming to vaccinate at least 67 per cent of the population for COVID-19, starting with the most vulnerable. While briefing the public on Sunday, health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize had said the vaccines will need to be made available quickly to ensure most of the citizens are covered by the end of the first year of rollout this year.

South Africa targets 67% vaccination against coronavirus to achieve herd immunity

In order to ensure herd immunity, South Africa is aiming to vaccinate at least 67 per cent of the population for COVID-19, starting with the most vulnerable.

“We are targeting a minimum of 67 per cent of the population to achieve herd immunity and the approach will be a phased rollout of the vaccine,” health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize said.

While briefing the public on Sunday, Mkhize had said the vaccines will need to be made available quickly to ensure most of the citizens are covered by the end of the first year of rollout this year.

In the first phase, vaccines will be made available to&nbsp;1.2 million healthcare workers. In the second phase, essential workers including those living in congregate settings, persons over 60 years of age and persons above 18 years with comorbidites will have access to the vaccine.

The third phase will see persons above 18 years of age being offered the vaccine which means 40 million citizens would have been immunized, which is equivalent to approximately 67.25 per cent of the targeted population, Mkhize said.

The minister added the COVAX agreement would see enough vaccines to cover 10 per cent of the population delivered by the second quarter of 2021, even though they were working continuously to make it more early.

The vaccines for the remaining 57 per cent of the population would have to be sourced through bilateral agreements, Mkhize added. 
As of January 3, there are 1.1 million positive cases and total deaths of 29,577 in the country. South Africa is battling the second wave of new cases of around 11,859 average in a day.

In order to ensure herd immunity, South Africa is aiming to vaccinate at least 67 per cent of the population for COVID-19, starting with the most vulnerable. “We are targeting a minimum of 67 per cent of the population to achieve herd immunity and the approach will be a phased rollout of the vaccine,” health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize said.

In order to ensure herd immunity, South Africa is aiming to vaccinate at least 67 per cent of the population for COVID-19, starting with the most vulnerable. “We are targeting a minimum of 67 per cent of the population to achieve herd immunity and the approach will be a phased rollout of the vaccine,” health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize said. While briefing the public on Sunday, Mkhize had said the vaccines will need to be made available quickly to ensure most of the citizens are covered by the end of the first year of rollout this year. In the first phase, vaccines will be made available to 1.2 million healthcare workers. In the second phase, essential workers including those living in congregate settings, persons over 60 years of age and persons above 18 years with comorbidites will have access to the vaccine. The third phase will see persons above 18 years of age being offered the vaccine which means 40 million citizens would have been immunized, which is equivalent to approximately 67.25 per cent of the targeted population, Mkhize said. The minister added the COVAX agreement would see enough vaccines to cover 10 per cent of the population delivered by the second quarter of 2021, even though they were working continuously to make it more early. The vaccines for the remaining 57 per cent of the population would have to be sourced through bilateral agreements, Mkhize added. As of January 3, there are 1.1 million positive cases and total deaths of 29,577 in the country. South Africa is battling the second wave of new cases of around 11,859 average in a day.

After the United Kingdom, South Africa has also found a new strain of the novel coronavirus which has resulted in a surge of cases, prompting a second wave.

The health minister took to Twitter to announce the news. "We have convened this public briefing today to announce that a variant of the SARS-COV-2 Virus - currently termed 501.V2 Variant - has been identified by our genomics scientists here in South Africa,"&nbsp;Minister of Health Zweli Mkhize tweeted.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
We have convened this public briefing today to announce that a variant of the SARS-COV-2 Virus- currently termed 501.V2 Variant has been identified by our genomics scientists here in South Africa.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SARSCOV2MediaBriefing?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SARSCOV2MediaBriefing</a>
— Dr Zweli Mkhize (@DrZweliMkhize) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrZweliMkhize/status/1339970259332325383?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-variant-of-coronavirus-identified-in-uk-london-in-tier-3-lockdown-349785">New variant of coronavirus identified in UK; London in tier 3 lockdown</a>

The conclusion was made on the basis of hundreds of samples that were collected by the scientists since the beginning of the pandemic in March. This research has been carried out by a team of&nbsp;genomics team, led by the Kwazulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP).

Explaining the research, the minister tweeted, "Clinicians have been providing anecdotal evidence of a shift in the clinical epidemiological picture- in particular noting that they are seeing a larger proportion of younger patients with no co-morbidities presenting with critical illness."

As per the evidence, the second wave has been caused by this new variant. The scientists have also claimed that the second d wave is spreading faster than the first wave. However, whether or not it has claimed more deaths is not yet clear.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-indication-new-covid-19-variant-in-uk-interferes-with-vaccine-effectiveness-who-349870">No indication new Covid-19 variant in UK interferes with vaccine effectiveness: WHO</a>

He also revealed that the second wave has become dominant in South Africa as it has reached all the provinces and the new variant has three mutations.

The first case of this new variant was found in the&nbsp;Nelson Mandela Bay. However, the origin of the new variant is not yet clear.

Officials had already notified the World Health Organization (WHO) who have got in contact with the researchers. "We are working with them with our SARS-COV-2 Virus evolution working group. They are growing the virus in the country and they're working with researchers to determine any changes in the behaviour of the virus itself in terms of transmission," WHO epidemiologist Maria Van Kerkhove told a news conference in Geneva.

This announcement has come a few days after the UK, too, announced identifying a new strain of coronavirus in their country.

After the United Kingdom, South Africa has also found a new strain of the novel coronavirus which has resulted in a surge of cases, prompting a second wave. The health minister took to Twitter to announce the news.

After the United Kingdom, South Africa has also found a new strain of the novel coronavirus which has resulted in a surge of cases, prompting a second wave. The health minister took to Twitter to announce the news. "We have convened this public briefing today to announce that a variant of the SARS-COV-2 Virus - currently termed 501.V2 Variant - has been identified by our genomics scientists here in South Africa," Minister of Health Zweli Mkhize tweeted. We have convened this public briefing today to announce that a variant of the SARS-COV-2 Virus- currently termed 501.V2 Variant has been identified by our genomics scientists here in South Africa.#SARSCOV2MediaBriefing — Dr Zweli Mkhize (@DrZweliMkhize) December 18, 2020 × Also read| New variant of coronavirus identified in UK; London in tier 3 lockdown The conclusion was made on the basis of hundreds of samples that were collected by the scientists since the beginning of the pandemic in March. This research has been carried out by a team of genomics team, led by the Kwazulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP). Explaining the research, the minister tweeted, "Clinicians have been providing anecdotal evidence of a shift in the clinical epidemiological picture- in particular noting that they are seeing a larger proportion of younger patients with no co-morbidities presenting with critical illness." As per the evidence, the second wave has been caused by this new variant. The scientists have also claimed that the second d wave is spreading faster than the first wave. However, whether or not it has claimed more deaths is not yet clear. Also read| No indication new Covid-19 variant in UK interferes with vaccine effectiveness: WHO He also revealed that the second wave has become dominant in South Africa as it has reached all the provinces and the new variant has three mutations. The first case of this new variant was found in the Nelson Mandela Bay. However, the origin of the new variant is not yet clear. Officials had already notified the World Health Organization (WHO) who have got in contact with the researchers. "We are working with them with our SARS-COV-2 Virus evolution working group. They are growing the virus in the country and they're working with researchers to determine any changes in the behaviour of the virus itself in terms of transmission," WHO epidemiologist Maria Van Kerkhove told a news conference in Geneva. This announcement has come a few days after the UK, too, announced identifying a new strain of coronavirus in their country.

After UK, South Africa identifies new strain of coronavirus amid second wave

The great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and South African community activist Satish Dhupelia has died of COVID-19 complications in Johannesburg, his family confirmed on Sunday.&nbsp;

Satish Dhupelia's sister Uma Dhupelia-Mesthrie confirmed that her brother had died of COVID-19 related complications after he contracted the disease in the hospital where he had been under treatment for a month due to pneumonia.

"My beloved brother has passed on after a month of illness with pneumonia, a superbug contracted in hospital and then COVID-19 also contracted while he was being treated. He suffered a major cardiac arrest this evening," Ms Uma said in a social media post.

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Besides Ms Uma, Mr Dhupelia leaves back another sister, Kirti Menon, who lives in Johannesburg, where she is active in various projects honouring the memory of Gandhi.

The three siblings are descendants of Manilal Gandhi, who Mahatma Gandhi left behind in South Africa to continue his work after he returned to India after spending two decades.

Mr Dhupelia, who spent most of his life in media, especially as a videographer and photographer, was also very active in assisting the Gandhi Development Trust to continue the work started by the Mahatma at the Phoenix Settlement near Durban.

He was renowned for assisting the needy in all communities and was active in a number of social welfare organisations.

Tributes poured in from his friends and dear ones.

"I am in shock. Satish was a great humanitarian and activist," Political analyst Lubna Nadvi said.

"He was also a great friend of the Advice Desk for Abused Women, and always assisted the organisation in whichever way he could," Nadvi added.

Mr Dhupelia was also a member of the Board of the 1860 Heritage Foundation, which on Monday, November 16 commemorated the arrival of the first indentured labourers from India to work on the sugar cane fields of Durban.

(With inputs from agencies)

The great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and South African community activist Satish Dhupelia has died of COVID-19 complications in Johannesburg, his family confirmed on Sunday.

The great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and South African community activist Satish Dhupelia has died of COVID-19 complications in Johannesburg, his family confirmed on Sunday. Satish Dhupelia's sister Uma Dhupelia-Mesthrie confirmed that her brother had died of COVID-19 related complications after he contracted the disease in the hospital where he had been under treatment for a month due to pneumonia. "My beloved brother has passed on after a month of illness with pneumonia, a superbug contracted in hospital and then COVID-19 also contracted while he was being treated. He suffered a major cardiac arrest this evening," Ms Uma said in a social media post. A one page tribute to a big life and a big heart Satish Dhupelia was born on 19 November 1954, the son of Shashikant... Posted by Uma Dhupelia-Mesthrie on Sunday, 22 November 2020 × Besides Ms Uma, Mr Dhupelia leaves back another sister, Kirti Menon, who lives in Johannesburg, where she is active in various projects honouring the memory of Gandhi. The three siblings are descendants of Manilal Gandhi, who Mahatma Gandhi left behind in South Africa to continue his work after he returned to India after spending two decades. Mr Dhupelia, who spent most of his life in media, especially as a videographer and photographer, was also very active in assisting the Gandhi Development Trust to continue the work started by the Mahatma at the Phoenix Settlement near Durban. He was renowned for assisting the needy in all communities and was active in a number of social welfare organisations. Tributes poured in from his friends and dear ones. "I am in shock. Satish was a great humanitarian and activist," Political analyst Lubna Nadvi said. "He was also a great friend of the Advice Desk for Abused Women, and always assisted the organisation in whichever way he could," Nadvi added. Mr Dhupelia was also a member of the Board of the 1860 Heritage Foundation, which on Monday, November 16 commemorated the arrival of the first indentured labourers from India to work on the sugar cane fields of Durban. (With inputs from agencies)

Mahatma Gandhi's great-grandson Satish Dhupelia dies of Covid-19

U.S. drug developer Novavax Inc said on Monday that it is starting a mid-stage study of its experimental COVID-19 vaccine in South Africa, as the country experiences a surge in coronavirus cases.

The Phase 2b trial study of NVX-CoV2373 will be conducted on about 2,665 healthy adults and will evaluate the safety and immunogenicity in about 240 medically stable, HIV-positive adults, the company said in a statement.

"Because South Africa is experiencing a winter surge of COVID-19 disease, this important Phase 2b clinical trial has the potential to provide an early indication of efficacy, along with additional safety and immunogenicity data for NVX-CoV2373," said Novavax research chief Gregory Glenn.

South Africa is fifth worst affected country with 583,653 coronavirus cases and 11,677 deaths, according to a Reuters tally.

The Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation is providing a $15 million grant towards the clinical trial, the company said. 
Novavax said it intends to initiate the Phase 2 portion of this trial in the United States and Australia in the near future and that it would include about 1,500 candidates.

Earlier this month, Glenn told Reuters the company would start much larger late-stage clinical trials soon and could potentially glean enough data to obtain regulatory approvals as early as December.

The U.S. government in July had awarded Novavax $1.6 billion to cover testing and manufacturing of a potential vaccine for the novel coronavirus in the United States with the aim of delivering a 100 million doses by January.

Last month, AstraZeneca said late-stage trials of its experimental drug AZD1222, which is developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University, are under way in Brazil and South Africa and due to start in the United States, where prevalence is higher.

U.S. drug developer Novavax Inc said on Monday that it is starting a mid-stage study of its experimental COVID-19 vaccine in South Africa, as the country experiences a surge in coronavirus cases.

U.S. drug developer Novavax Inc said on Monday that it is starting a mid-stage study of its experimental COVID-19 vaccine in South Africa, as the country experiences a surge in coronavirus cases. The Phase 2b trial study of NVX-CoV2373 will be conducted on about 2,665 healthy adults and will evaluate the safety and immunogenicity in about 240 medically stable, HIV-positive adults, the company said in a statement. "Because South Africa is experiencing a winter surge of COVID-19 disease, this important Phase 2b clinical trial has the potential to provide an early indication of efficacy, along with additional safety and immunogenicity data for NVX-CoV2373," said Novavax research chief Gregory Glenn. South Africa is fifth worst affected country with 583,653 coronavirus cases and 11,677 deaths, according to a Reuters tally. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is providing a $15 million grant towards the clinical trial, the company said. Novavax said it intends to initiate the Phase 2 portion of this trial in the United States and Australia in the near future and that it would include about 1,500 candidates. Earlier this month, Glenn told Reuters the company would start much larger late-stage clinical trials soon and could potentially glean enough data to obtain regulatory approvals as early as December. The U.S. government in July had awarded Novavax $1.6 billion to cover testing and manufacturing of a potential vaccine for the novel coronavirus in the United States with the aim of delivering a 100 million doses by January. Last month, AstraZeneca said late-stage trials of its experimental drug AZD1222, which is developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University, are under way in Brazil and South Africa and due to start in the United States, where prevalence is higher.

Novavax begins mid-stage study of COVID-19 vaccine in South Africa

Around 24,000 health workers have been infected with coronavirus in South Africa, the tally includes 181 deaths since the pandemic hit the country in March, the health minister announced on Wednesday.

Around 24,000 health workers have been infected with coronavirus in South Africa, the tally includes 181 deaths since the pandemic hit the country in March, the health minister announced on Wednesday. With 521,318 cases, South Africa accounts for more than half of Africa's cases making it the worst-hit country in the continent in terms of the coronavirus pandemic. According to Health Minister Zweli Mkwize, the numbers of health workers who tested positive for coronavirus stood at 24,104 with 181 deaths. He went on to add that the tally translates to around five per cent of the country's total caseload, compared to the global rate of some 10 per cent. Several unions in the country have raised concerns about safety in hospitals as well as the availability, quality and size of protective gear since the pandemic began. The minister said that he would act against hospital administrators who failed to ensure workplace safety. The African country has witnessed a rapid rise in overall caseload despite showing a decline in daily increase. Mkhize cautioned it was too early to conclude this. "We are not out of the woods yet, but so far we have fought a good fight," he said. "We haven’t got to the stage where we don’t have hospital space for patients." Health authorities have been expecting a surge in infections after the easing of a strict lockdown imposed on March 27. (Inputs from AFP)

Over 24,000 health workers in South Africa infected with coronavirus

The UN health agency warned that the coronavirus pandemic would be lengthy and could lead to "response fatigue", as the case count in South Africa topped half a million.

Six months after the World Health Organization declared a global emergency, the novel coronavirus has killed more than 680,000 people and infected more than 17.5 million, according to an AFP tally.

South Africa is by far the hardest hit country in Africa, accounting for more than half of diagnosed infections, although President Cyril Ramaphosa said the fatality rate is lower than the global average.

Health authorities had been expecting a surge in cases after the gradual loosening of a strict lockdown that was imposed at the end of March.

Nigeria on Saturday also announced it would ease a lockdown in the commercial capital Lagos, allowing churches and mosques to reopen next week.&nbsp;

An emergency WHO committee reviewing the pandemic "highlighted the anticipated lengthy duration of this COVID-19 outbreak, noting the importance of sustained community, national, regional, and global response efforts".

"WHO continues to assess the global risk level of COVID-19 to be very high," it said in its latest statement.

The agency also said the effects of the pandemic "will be felt for decades to come".

Mexico overtook Britain to become the third hardest hit country in virus deaths -- after Brazil and the United States -- with more than 46,600 fatal cases.

Although many Latin American countries have begun relaxing stay-at-home measures, the virus is still spreading quickly across much of the region, which has now recorded more than four million cases and almost 200,000 deaths.

Half of them are in Brazil, where President Jair Bolsonaro said he believes "nearly everyone" will catch the virus eventually, after himself recovering from it.

The US, the hardest-hit country in the world, has now tallied more than 4.6 million cases and 154,319 deaths.

VACCINE RACE

The outlook was bleak in Asia as well, where India and the Philippines reported record increases in new daily infections.

"We are waging a losing battle against COVID-19, and we need to draw up a consolidated, definitive plan of action," said an open letter signed by 80 Filipino medical associations.

Japan's Okinawa declared a state of emergency&nbsp;after a record jump in cases on the islands -- many linked to US military forces stationed there.

The pandemic has spurred a race for a vaccine with several Chinese companies at the forefront, while Russia has set a target date of September to roll out its own medicine.

However, US infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci said it was unlikely his country would use any vaccine developed in either nation.

"I do hope that the Chinese and the Russians are actually testing the vaccine before they are administering the vaccine to anyone," he said.

As part of its "Operation Warp Speed", the US government will pay pharmaceutical giants Sanofi and GSK up to $2.1 billion for the development of a COVID-19 vaccine, the companies said.

DAY OF FREEDOM

France, Spain, Portugal and Italy all reported huge contractions in their economies for the April-June quarter, while Europe as a whole saw gross domestic product fall by 12.1 percent.&nbsp;

Daily case numbers in Switzerland have crept up again in recent weeks, while Norway recorded its first virus death in two weeks.

At least 36 crew members confined to a Norwegian cruise ship have tested positive for the new coronavirus, the operator Hurtigruten said on Saturday.&nbsp;

Despite the resurgence in cases, there have been demonstrations in Europe against the curbs.&nbsp;

Thousands protested in Berlin on Saturday urging "a day of freedom" from the restrictions, with some demonstrators dubbing the pandemic "the biggest conspiracy theory".

In South Korea, the elderly leader of a secretive sect at the centre of the country's early coronavirus outbreak&nbsp;was arrested for allegedly hindering the government's effort to contain the epidemic.

People linked to Lee Man-hee's Shincheonji Church of Jesus accounted for more than half&nbsp;of the South's coronavirus cases in February and March, but the country has since appeared to have brought the virus under control.

The pandemic has also continued to cause mayhem in the travel and tourism sectors, with more airlines announcing mass job cuts.

Latin America's biggest airline, the Brazilian-Chilean group LATAM, said it would lay off least 2,700 crew, and British Airways pilots overwhelmingly voted to accept a deal cutting wages by 20 percent, with 270 jobs lost.

The UN health agency warned that the coronavirus pandemic would be lengthy and could lead to "response fatigue", as the case count in South Africa topped half a million.

The UN health agency warned that the coronavirus pandemic would be lengthy and could lead to "response fatigue", as the case count in South Africa topped half a million. Six months after the World Health Organization declared a global emergency, the novel coronavirus has killed more than 680,000 people and infected more than 17.5 million, according to an AFP tally. South Africa is by far the hardest hit country in Africa, accounting for more than half of diagnosed infections, although President Cyril Ramaphosa said the fatality rate is lower than the global average. Health authorities had been expecting a surge in cases after the gradual loosening of a strict lockdown that was imposed at the end of March. Nigeria on Saturday also announced it would ease a lockdown in the commercial capital Lagos, allowing churches and mosques to reopen next week. An emergency WHO committee reviewing the pandemic "highlighted the anticipated lengthy duration of this COVID-19 outbreak, noting the importance of sustained community, national, regional, and global response efforts". "WHO continues to assess the global risk level of COVID-19 to be very high," it said in its latest statement. The agency also said the effects of the pandemic "will be felt for decades to come". Mexico overtook Britain to become the third hardest hit country in virus deaths -- after Brazil and the United States -- with more than 46,600 fatal cases. Although many Latin American countries have begun relaxing stay-at-home measures, the virus is still spreading quickly across much of the region, which has now recorded more than four million cases and almost 200,000 deaths. Half of them are in Brazil, where President Jair Bolsonaro said he believes "nearly everyone" will catch the virus eventually, after himself recovering from it. The US, the hardest-hit country in the world, has now tallied more than 4.6 million cases and 154,319 deaths. VACCINE RACE The outlook was bleak in Asia as well, where India and the Philippines reported record increases in new daily infections. "We are waging a losing battle against COVID-19, and we need to draw up a consolidated, definitive plan of action," said an open letter signed by 80 Filipino medical associations. Japan's Okinawa declared a state of emergency after a record jump in cases on the islands -- many linked to US military forces stationed there. The pandemic has spurred a race for a vaccine with several Chinese companies at the forefront, while Russia has set a target date of September to roll out its own medicine. However, US infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci said it was unlikely his country would use any vaccine developed in either nation. "I do hope that the Chinese and the Russians are actually testing the vaccine before they are administering the vaccine to anyone," he said. As part of its "Operation Warp Speed", the US government will pay pharmaceutical giants Sanofi and GSK up to $2.1 billion for the development of a COVID-19 vaccine, the companies said. DAY OF FREEDOM France, Spain, Portugal and Italy all reported huge contractions in their economies for the April-June quarter, while Europe as a whole saw gross domestic product fall by 12.1 percent. Daily case numbers in Switzerland have crept up again in recent weeks, while Norway recorded its first virus death in two weeks. At least 36 crew members confined to a Norwegian cruise ship have tested positive for the new coronavirus, the operator Hurtigruten said on Saturday. Despite the resurgence in cases, there have been demonstrations in Europe against the curbs. Thousands protested in Berlin on Saturday urging "a day of freedom" from the restrictions, with some demonstrators dubbing the pandemic "the biggest conspiracy theory". In South Korea, the elderly leader of a secretive sect at the centre of the country's early coronavirus outbreak was arrested for allegedly hindering the government's effort to contain the epidemic. People linked to Lee Man-hee's Shincheonji Church of Jesus accounted for more than half of the South's coronavirus cases in February and March, but the country has since appeared to have brought the virus under control. The pandemic has also continued to cause mayhem in the travel and tourism sectors, with more airlines announcing mass job cuts. Latin America's biggest airline, the Brazilian-Chilean group LATAM, said it would lay off least 2,700 crew, and British Airways pilots overwhelmingly voted to accept a deal cutting wages by 20 percent, with 270 jobs lost.

WHO warns of drawn out pandemic as South Africa cases top 500,000

The World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said today that the "world’s poorest and most vulnerable people are especially at risk" due to the coronavirus epidemic.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/oxford-astrazeneca-coronavirus-vaccine-trial-safe-produced-immune-response-data-reveals-314716">Also Read:&nbsp;Also Read: Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine trial - Safe &amp; produced immune response</a>

"Indigenous peoples often have a high burden of poverty, unemployment, malnutrition and both communicable and non-communicable diseases, making them more vulnerable to coronavirus and its severe outcomes," the WHO chief said, adding,"WHO is deeply concerned about the impact of the virus on indigenous peoples in the Americas, which remains the current epicentre of the pandemic."

Tedros informed that at least 70,000 cases have been reported among indigenous peoples in the Americas with over 2,000 deaths including the&nbsp;Peruvian Amazon.

Tedros said that the "so-called lockdown measures" can help to reduce transmission but cannot completely stop it. "Contact tracing is essential for finding and isolating cases" is key to fighting the virus, the WHO chief said.

"Mobile applications can support contact tracing, but nothing replaces boots on the ground – trained workers going door-to-door to find cases and contacts," Tedros added.

Meanwhile, WHO's emergencies chief Michael Ryan said that he was "very concerned" about "an acceleration of disease in Africa" pointing towards the state of the virus in South Africa

"While South Africa is experiencing a very, very severe event, I think it is really a marker of what the continent could face if urgent action is not taken to provide further support," Ryan said.

"South Africa may, unfortunately, be a precursor, it may be a warning for what will happen in the rest of Africa," he added.

Ryan pointed out that South Africa was experiencing more cases in the poor and rural areas after it first struck the wealthier areas of the country. The WHO official also pointed out that the virus had grown in Madagascar, Zambia, Kenya and Namibia.

"I think what we are starting to see is a continued acceleration of transmission in a number of countries," Ryan said, adding,"this isn't just a wake-up call for South Africa... We need to take what is happening in Africa very, very seriously."

The World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said today that the "world’s poorest and most vulnerable people are especially at risk" due to the coronavirus epidemic.

The World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said today that the "world’s poorest and most vulnerable people are especially at risk" due to the coronavirus epidemic. Also Read: Also Read: Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine trial - Safe & produced immune response "Indigenous peoples often have a high burden of poverty, unemployment, malnutrition and both communicable and non-communicable diseases, making them more vulnerable to coronavirus and its severe outcomes," the WHO chief said, adding,"WHO is deeply concerned about the impact of the virus on indigenous peoples in the Americas, which remains the current epicentre of the pandemic." Tedros informed that at least 70,000 cases have been reported among indigenous peoples in the Americas with over 2,000 deaths including the Peruvian Amazon. Tedros said that the "so-called lockdown measures" can help to reduce transmission but cannot completely stop it. "Contact tracing is essential for finding and isolating cases" is key to fighting the virus, the WHO chief said. "Mobile applications can support contact tracing, but nothing replaces boots on the ground – trained workers going door-to-door to find cases and contacts," Tedros added. Meanwhile, WHO's emergencies chief Michael Ryan said that he was "very concerned" about "an acceleration of disease in Africa" pointing towards the state of the virus in South Africa "While South Africa is experiencing a very, very severe event, I think it is really a marker of what the continent could face if urgent action is not taken to provide further support," Ryan said. "South Africa may, unfortunately, be a precursor, it may be a warning for what will happen in the rest of Africa," he added. Ryan pointed out that South Africa was experiencing more cases in the poor and rural areas after it first struck the wealthier areas of the country. The WHO official also pointed out that the virus had grown in Madagascar, Zambia, Kenya and Namibia. "I think what we are starting to see is a continued acceleration of transmission in a number of countries," Ryan said, adding,"this isn't just a wake-up call for South Africa... We need to take what is happening in Africa very, very seriously."

'Very, very severe event': WHO alarmed over coronavirus attack in Africa

South Africa&nbsp;has reported a record jump in new&nbsp;cases, nearly 80 per cent&nbsp;higher than its previous daily record – as the the country gradually eases its lockdown. The surge came as&nbsp;Brazil&nbsp;overtook Italy to become the third worst affected nation for deaths, behind the US and the UK.

South Africa&nbsp;recorded 3,267 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday, the biggest jump since the pandemic began.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-african-court-declares-some-lockdown-regulations-unconstitutional-and-invalid-302779">South African court declares some lockdown regulations 'unconstitutional and invalid'</a>

The country is the worst hit in sub-Saharan Africa and has nearly a quarter of all cases on the continent, with 40,792 infections. With 848 deaths, it ranks only second to Egypt for fatalities (1,126).

Nearly two thirds of the country’s cases are in the Western Cape province, where Cape Town is the biggest city, and health services are under pressure.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-africa-dehorns-dozens-of-rhinos-to-prevent-lockdown-poaching-surge-303519">South Africa dehorns dozens of rhinos to prevent lockdown poaching surge</a>

The region is also a major tourist destination, and local authorities have implemented one of the most rigorous testing regimes in the country.

South Africa’s strict lockdown began on 27 March, sharply limiting freedom of movement and slowing an economy already in recession. Restrictions were eased to level 3 on Monday which opened up large parts of the economy and abolished curfews. Alcohol went back on sale under strict rules but tobacco sales remain banned.

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&nbsp;

South Africa has reported a record jump in new cases, nearly 80 per cent higher than its previous daily record – as the the country gradually eases its lockdown.

South Africa has reported a record jump in new cases, nearly 80 per cent higher than its previous daily record – as the the country gradually eases its lockdown. The surge came as Brazil overtook Italy to become the third worst affected nation for deaths, behind the US and the UK. South Africa recorded 3,267 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday, the biggest jump since the pandemic began. Also read: South African court declares some lockdown regulations 'unconstitutional and invalid' The country is the worst hit in sub-Saharan Africa and has nearly a quarter of all cases on the continent, with 40,792 infections. With 848 deaths, it ranks only second to Egypt for fatalities (1,126). Nearly two thirds of the country’s cases are in the Western Cape province, where Cape Town is the biggest city, and health services are under pressure. Also read: South Africa dehorns dozens of rhinos to prevent lockdown poaching surge The region is also a major tourist destination, and local authorities have implemented one of the most rigorous testing regimes in the country. South Africa’s strict lockdown began on 27 March, sharply limiting freedom of movement and slowing an economy already in recession. Restrictions were eased to level 3 on Monday which opened up large parts of the economy and abolished curfews. Alcohol went back on sale under strict rules but tobacco sales remain banned. Summary of level 3 regulations #Level3Regulations #Level3Lockdown pic.twitter.com/gmOjGCQmuZ — GCIS Media Liaison (@GCISMedia) May 29, 2020 ×

South Africa records biggest surge in coronavirus cases since outbreak

South African health workers were given a tuberculosis vaccine on Monday to check if it protects against coronavirus.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-reports-74-coronavirus-death-as-mosques-due-to-reopen-296599" hreflang="en">Iran reports 74 coronavirus death as mosques due to reopen</a>

The Bacillus Calmette–Guerin (BCG) vaccine is a century-old and was created France's Pasteur Institute and it is one of the world's oldest immunisations.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/just-in-a-travel-bubble-between-new-zealand-and-australia-amid-coronavirus-lockdown-296595" hreflang="en">Just in! A 'travel bubble' between New Zealand and Australia amid coronavirus lockdown</a>

Around 250 health workers were given the shots as a trial to immunisation whereas others got 250 received a dummy formula.

TASK founder professor Andreas Diacon said: &nbsp;TASK founder professor Andreas Diacon said: "There are observations that this BCG vaccine does something to the immune system that we don't understand."

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 300,000 people catch TB in South Africa each year, it is one of the highest rates of infection in the world where nearly&nbsp;63,000 people die every year.

"It makes the immune system cope better with respiratory retract infections," said Diacon. "No one actually really understands why it works".&nbsp;

"If you can reduce the (COVID-19) symptoms just a little, you will probably get people to survive this better or not even have to go to the hospital or not even becoming ill," said Diacon.

Tygerberg Hospital and a Stellenbosch University's professor Diacon said the trials focussed on health care workers as "we believe that they will be exposed most".

Trials are expected to take place with 3,000 health care workers situated in Cape Town. Similar trials are being conducted in the Netherlands, Australia and France. These participants in the country will be giving the vaccines for the first time as there is no policy for the BCG vaccines in the countries.&nbsp;

(Inputs from AFP)

South African health workers were given a tuberculosis vaccine on Monday to check if it protects against coronavirus. Also read: Iran reports 74 coronavirus death as mosques due to reopen The Bacillus Calmette–Guerin (BCG) vaccine is a century-old and was created France's Pasteur Institute and it is one of the world's oldest immunisations.

South African health workers were given a tuberculosis vaccine on Monday to check if it protects against coronavirus. Also read: Iran reports 74 coronavirus death as mosques due to reopen The Bacillus Calmette–Guerin (BCG) vaccine is a century-old and was created France's Pasteur Institute and it is one of the world's oldest immunisations. Also read: Just in! A 'travel bubble' between New Zealand and Australia amid coronavirus lockdown Around 250 health workers were given the shots as a trial to immunisation whereas others got 250 received a dummy formula. TASK founder professor Andreas Diacon said: TASK founder professor Andreas Diacon said: "There are observations that this BCG vaccine does something to the immune system that we don't understand." According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 300,000 people catch TB in South Africa each year, it is one of the highest rates of infection in the world where nearly 63,000 people die every year. "It makes the immune system cope better with respiratory retract infections," said Diacon. "No one actually really understands why it works". "If you can reduce the (COVID-19) symptoms just a little, you will probably get people to survive this better or not even have to go to the hospital or not even becoming ill," said Diacon. Tygerberg Hospital and a Stellenbosch University's professor Diacon said the trials focussed on health care workers as "we believe that they will be exposed most". Trials are expected to take place with 3,000 health care workers situated in Cape Town. Similar trials are being conducted in the Netherlands, Australia and France. These participants in the country will be giving the vaccines for the first time as there is no policy for the BCG vaccines in the countries. (Inputs from AFP)

South Africa commence COVID-19 trials by providing TB shots to health workers

South Africa has started to gradually ease its strict coronavirus lockdown on Friday,&nbsp;seeking a balance between containing the disease and providing much-needed relief for the economy.&nbsp;

The government has adopted a gradual and phased approach to re-open the country from May 1.

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In a televised May Day speech, President Cyril Ramaphosa said&nbsp;"the poor and the working class are having to bear the burden of a global pandemic that has caused severe economic and social disruption,''&nbsp;adding that pre-existing challenges had been "exacerbated by the pandemic".

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South Africa has recorded 5,647 coronavirus cases and 103 deaths out of a population of 58 million, relatively low numbers compared with COVID-19 hotspots in Europe or the United States.

According to Trade and Industry Minister Ebrahim Patel, ''approximately&nbsp;1.5 million workers in selected industries return to work in the next phase under strict health conditions.''

Winter clothing, textile and packaging manufacturing are among the industries permitted to reopen factories. Restaurants will also open, but only for takeaway deliveries. Bans on the sale of cigarettes and alcohol will remain in effect.

Some outdoor activities such as cycling, walking and running will be allowed but for just three hours in the morning.

Social distancing and wearing masks in public and at workplaces will be mandatory.

According to Cooperative Governance Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, "companies that breach regulations will be forced to close."

Africa's most industrialised nation was already teetering with low growth and high debts when the lockdown kicked in on March 27.

Five weeks ago, President Cyril Ramaphosa ordered most citizens to remain indoors and shuttered all but essential businesses. The response to the pandemic had won praise from the World Health Organization.

South Africa has started to gradually ease its strict coronavirus lockdown on Friday, seeking a balance between containing the disease and providing much-needed relief for the economy.

South Africa has started to gradually ease its strict coronavirus lockdown on Friday, seeking a balance between containing the disease and providing much-needed relief for the economy. The government has adopted a gradual and phased approach to re-open the country from May 1. Also read: Cyber spies are targetting ongoing COVID-19 vaccination research programmes across the world In a televised May Day speech, President Cyril Ramaphosa said "the poor and the working class are having to bear the burden of a global pandemic that has caused severe economic and social disruption,'' adding that pre-existing challenges had been "exacerbated by the pandemic". Also read: Novel coronavirus may spread for at least another 18 months, says study South Africa has recorded 5,647 coronavirus cases and 103 deaths out of a population of 58 million, relatively low numbers compared with COVID-19 hotspots in Europe or the United States. According to Trade and Industry Minister Ebrahim Patel, ''approximately 1.5 million workers in selected industries return to work in the next phase under strict health conditions.'' Winter clothing, textile and packaging manufacturing are among the industries permitted to reopen factories. Restaurants will also open, but only for takeaway deliveries. Bans on the sale of cigarettes and alcohol will remain in effect. Some outdoor activities such as cycling, walking and running will be allowed but for just three hours in the morning. Social distancing and wearing masks in public and at workplaces will be mandatory. According to Cooperative Governance Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, "companies that breach regulations will be forced to close." Africa's most industrialised nation was already teetering with low growth and high debts when the lockdown kicked in on March 27. Five weeks ago, President Cyril Ramaphosa ordered most citizens to remain indoors and shuttered all but essential businesses. The response to the pandemic had won praise from the World Health Organization.

Citing 'economic hardship', South Africa begins easing lockdown

South Africa which had announced stringent <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/anti-viral-drug-being-hailed-as-coronavirus-cure-fails-first-clinical-trial-294417">lockdown </a>measures on March 27 said it would ease it next month.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/global-coronavirus-death-toll-passes-190000-us-has-most-fatalities-with-over-50000-294484">Also Read:&nbsp;Global coronavirus death toll passes 190,000; US has most fatalities with over 50,000</a>

The country has over 4,000 coronavirus cases with 75 deaths reportedly the highest in Africa, however, President Cyril Ramaphosa said that easing of lockdown would enable people to "earn a living."

In an address to the nation, President Ramaphosa said: "We have accordingly decided that beyond Thursday the 30th of April, we should begin a gradual and phased recovery, adding,"we will implement what we call a risk-adjusted strategy through which we take a deliberate and cautious approach to the easing of current lockdown restrictions."

"While a nationwide lockdown is probably the most effective means to contain the spread of the virus, it cannot be sustained indefinitely," the South African president added.

"Our people need to eat, they need to earn a living. Companies need to produce and trade," Ramaphosa asserted.

Several thousand health workers have been deployed across the country in a bid to contain the virus with aggressive screening and testing.

Last week the country saw a sudden surge in cases with 318 new cases in one day and the death toll rising from 10 to 75. The sudden toll worried authorities.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has praised South Africa earlier for taking proactive measures to fight the virus with &nbsp;"primary prevention, lockdown, and enhanced surveillance".&nbsp;

South Africa which had announced stringent lockdown measures on March 27 said it would ease it next month. Also Read: Global coronavirus death toll passes 190,000; US has most fatalities with over 50,000 The country has over 4,000 coronavirus cases with 75 deaths reportedly the highest in Africa, however, President Cyril Ramaphosa said that easing of lockdown would enable people to "earn a living.

South Africa which had announced stringent lockdown measures on March 27 said it would ease it next month. Also Read: Global coronavirus death toll passes 190,000; US has most fatalities with over 50,000 The country has over 4,000 coronavirus cases with 75 deaths reportedly the highest in Africa, however, President Cyril Ramaphosa said that easing of lockdown would enable people to "earn a living." In an address to the nation, President Ramaphosa said: "We have accordingly decided that beyond Thursday the 30th of April, we should begin a gradual and phased recovery, adding,"we will implement what we call a risk-adjusted strategy through which we take a deliberate and cautious approach to the easing of current lockdown restrictions." "While a nationwide lockdown is probably the most effective means to contain the spread of the virus, it cannot be sustained indefinitely," the South African president added. "Our people need to eat, they need to earn a living. Companies need to produce and trade," Ramaphosa asserted. Several thousand health workers have been deployed across the country in a bid to contain the virus with aggressive screening and testing. Last week the country saw a sudden surge in cases with 318 new cases in one day and the death toll rising from 10 to 75. The sudden toll worried authorities. The World Health Organization (WHO) has praised South Africa earlier for taking proactive measures to fight the virus with "primary prevention, lockdown, and enhanced surveillance".

South Africa set to ease lockdown