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COVID-19 tracker 11 January 2021

Global Covid-19 cases surpass 90.6 million

Shireen Darmalingam

Global update:

  • Global cases have surpassed 90.69 million, while the death toll has surpassed 1.94 million; recoveries are at 64.81 million.
  • The US has reported record-breaking 7-day averages of new infections and Covid-19-related deaths; New York remains the most affected US state. The US now has 22.91 million cases, accounting for 25% of global cases; the US death toll is 383,275.
  • India has 10.46 million cases and 151,198 deaths; Brazil 8.10 million cases and 203,140 deaths; Russia 3.40 million cases and 61,837 deaths.
  • China’s new Covid-19 cases have surpassed 100 for the first time since last July, as the outbreak in northern Hebei province continues to grow.
  • Japan has found a variant of the virus similar to strains discovered in the UK and SA.
  • The new strain of the virus, first seen in the UK, has also been confirmed in Mexico.
  • Hospitals in the UK are currently in a dire situation; the UK is, however, on course to meet its vaccination target. The UK is also considering further tightening its lockdown. 
  • Pfizer and BioNTech noted last week that their vaccine is effective against one of the mutations present in the new contagious variants identified in the UK and SA. Health experts have warned that the variants have several other dangerous mutations that have not yet been investigated. This could affect vaccine efficacy.

Africa update:

  • Africa’s Covid-19 cases are at 3.06 million; fatalities are at 72,810.
  • Morocco has 452,532 reported cases, Nigeria 100,087, Ghana 55,772, Kenya 98,271.
  • The UK has extended its travel ban to 11 African countries affected by the new strain of the virus, first detected in SA. This restriction will be in effect for two weeks.
  • The travel ban countries include Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Eswatini, Zambia, Malawi, Lesotho, Mozambique and Angola as well as Seychelles and Mauritius. The UK had previously banned entry of passengers to England arriving from South Africa from 24 December, excluding British and Irish Nationals, visa holders and permanent residents.

South Africa update:

  • SA currently has the 16th highest caseload, at 1.23 million, an increase of 17,421 new cases.
  • Covid-19 deaths rose by 339 yesterday, to 33,163; 966,368 people have recovered from the virus.
  • Gauteng has the highest number of confirmed cases, at 333,842 (accounting for 27.1% of the total); 6,170 deaths have been reported. 
  • The Western Cape has 241,001 (accounting for 19.6% of the total) and 8,187 deaths, while KwaZulu-Natal has 252,115 (accounting for 20.5% of the total) and 5,241 deaths.
  • The Eastern Cape has 180,689 cases (accounting for 14.7% of the total) and 8,739 deaths.
  • 7.18 million tests have been conducted since 5 March; 63,046 tests were conducted yesterday.
  • The president announced the move to lockdown level 3 on 28 December to 15 January 2021; a curfew from 9pm to 6am was introduced; alcohol sales have been restricted. A further announcement regarding the lockdown regulations is expected before 15 January.
  • The SA health ministry noted last week that the country will in January receive 1 million doses of the vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca from the Serum Institute of India. A second shipment of 500,000 doses is expected in February. Two doses of the vaccine are required for full efficacy.

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