Global vaccine efficacy to prove a long game

Vaccine update:

• Globally, over 4.13 billion vaccines have been administered across 180 countries at a rate of 41.8 million doses a day.
• US infectious disease specialist Anthony Fauci has noted that the vaccines work extremely well and that a return to the lockdowns of 2020 would be unlikely.
• Half of all infections in Israel are now among fully vaccinated residents, with those vaccinated in January representing double the cases, compared with those vaccinated in March.
• Israel’s health chief noted that the data implies a waning effectiveness of the vaccine.
• The UK will deliver booster shots to 32 million people from next month; Japan too is considering booster shots from next year. 
• Pfizer and Moderna have raised the prices of their vaccines in the latest supply contracts with the EU.
• Public health officials on the continent have expressed concern about vaccines’ fast-approaching expiry dates. This could place governments under pressure to administer vaccines before expiry. 
• Locally, 7.567 million vaccines have been administered to date; 17,390 vaccines were administered yesterday.

Global cases update:

• Cases have surpassed 199 million, while the death toll has surpassed 4.24 million; recoveries are at 179.63 million.
• The US has 35.78 million cases, accounting for 18% of global cases; the US death toll is 629,380. 
• India has 31.69 million cases and 424,808 deaths; Brazil has 19.93 million cases and 556,886 deaths.
• India expects a new, but smaller, wave of new infections.
• Beijing is increasing efforts to control the spread of the virus, including suspending some flights. 

Africa cases update:

• Africa’s Covid-19 cases are at 6.79 million; fatalities are at 171,445.
• Morocco has 629,717 reported cases, Nigeria 174,315, Ghana 103,019, Kenya 203,680.

South Africa cases update:

• SA currently has the 17th highest caseload, at 2.456 million; 8,791 new cases were reported yesterday.
• Active cases are at 153,122; the Western Cape leads the way with 35,239 active cases, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 28,832.
• Covid-19 deaths rose by 178 yesterday, to 72,191; 2.23 million people (or 90.8%) have recovered from the virus.
• 14.90 million tests have been conducted since 5 March 2020; 38,234 tests were conducted yesterday.
• The positivity rate is 23%.

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