The scramble for vaccines continues
Shireen Darmalingam
Vaccine update:
- Globally, more than 6.88 billion doses have been administered across 184 countries at a rate of 32 million doses a day.
- US health officials are confident that those over age 5 will be allowed a vaccine next month.
- Africa is aiming to end vaccine inequity by replicating an own vaccine through reverse-engineering the Moderna vaccine.
- The WHO is coordinating this vaccine research, training and production hub in SA, along with a related supply chain for critical raw materials.
- The COVAX facility has failed to alleviate dire shortages of vaccines in poor countries, while donated vaccines are coming in at a mere fraction of what is needed to fill the gap.
- Locally, 21.321 million vaccines have been administered to date; 18,719 vaccines were administered yesterday.
- The vaccination programme for 12 to 17-year olds kicked off last week.
Global cases update:
- Cases have surpassed 244.27 million, while the death toll has surpassed 4.96 million; recoveries are at 221.46 million.
- The US has 46.31 million cases, accounting for 18% of global cases; the US death toll is 756,362.
- India has 34.18 million cases and 454,743 deaths; Brazil has 21.72 million cases and 605,682 deaths.
- Infection rates in China are expected to rise further in the coming days.
- Russia’s deaths remain at near-record levels, while cases continue to rise.
- UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak has reiterated new lockdown measures as being unlikely in the UK despite rising infections.
- Belgium is expected to implement stricter rules to curb rising infections.
Africa cases update:
- Africa’s Covid-19 cases are at 8.54 million; fatalities are at 217,484.
- Morocco has 944,277 reported cases, Nigeria 210,460, Ghana 129,805, Kenya 252,672.
South Africa cases update:
- SA currently has the 17th highest caseload, at 2.919 million; 300 new cases were reported yesterday.
- Active cases are at 19,268; KwaZulu-Natal leads the way, with 6,072 active cases, followed by the Western Cape with 5,248.
- Covid-19 deaths rose by 11 yesterday, to 88,925; 2.81 million people (or 96.3%) have recovered from the virus.
- 18.364 million tests have been conducted since 5 March 2020; 21,551 tests were conducted yesterday.
- The SA positivity rate is 1.4%.
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