COVID-19 WRAP | SA records 1,752 new cases of Covid-19 in 24 hours

February 06 2022 - 20:30

SA records 1,752 new cases of Covid-19 in 24 hours

SA recorded 1,752 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in 24 hours, bringing the cumulative total of cases in the country to 3,623,962.

The total number of Covid related deaths is 95,835 with a daily increase of 8 deaths to contribute to the national death toll. 

The number of vaccines administered is 30,189,745 since the start of the vaccine rollout, with 3,480,249 total recoveries.

February 06 2022 - 19:00

Russia says India approves one-shot Sputnik Light Covid vaccine

India has given regulatory approval to Russia's one-shot Sputnik Light Covid-19 vaccine, the Russian Direct Investment Fund said.

Sputnik Light will add to India's national vaccine portfolio and join Sputnik V, which was approved in April, RDIF said on Sunday.

-Reuters

February 06 2022 - 18:45

Protest against vaccine mandates paralyzing Canada capital, mayor says

Protesters camped out in the Canadian capital outnumber the police and control the situation, the city's mayor said on Sunday, as a demonstration against vaccine mandates clogged parts of the city for a 10th day.

The "Freedom Convoy" began as a movement against a Canadian vaccine requirement for cross-border truckers but has turned into a rallying point against public health measures and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government.

Protesters have paralyzed downtown Ottawa for the past nine days, with some participants waving Confederate or Nazi flags and some saying they wanted to dissolve Canada's government.

-Reuters

February 06 2022 - 13:37

Basic education minister Angie Motshekga confident schools ready for full-time attendance

Basic education minister Angie Motshekga was confident on Sunday that schools are ready to welcome pupils back on a full-time basis.

She was briefing the media before the return to daily attendance for all pupils from Monday.

She said during engagements with stakeholders, concerns were raised regarding the state of school infrastructure and the feasibility of accommodating all the pupils under the current circumstances.

February 06 2022 - 12:40

'Scrap national disaster, shift Covid-19 matters to the Department of Health,' say liquor traders

As president Cyril Ramaphosa prepares to deliver his state of the nation address on Thursday, the National Liquor Traders have told him they expect him to consider scrapping the national state of disaster.

“As far as the Sona is concerned we expect the removal of the state of disaster, the transfer of the responsibility of dealing with the pandemic to the Department of Health and allowing the parliamentary process to resume to hold the executive to account on how they are dealing with Covid-19,” said NLT spokesperson Lucky Ntimane on Sunday.

February 06 2022 - 10:00

Thousands protest vaccine mandates in Canada, further fraying nerves

Thousands of people demonstrated in Canadian cities, including the financial hub Toronto, on Saturday as mostly peaceful but noisy protests against vaccine mandates spread from Ottawa, the capital.

The "Freedom Convoy" began as a movement against a Canadian vaccine requirement for cross-border truckers, but has turned into a rallying point against public health measures and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government.

“We're all sick and tired of the mandates, of the intimidation, of living in one big prison,” said Robert, a Toronto protester who did not give his last name. "We just want to go back to normal without having to take into our veins the poison which they call vaccines."

-Reuters