Covid-19 update: Latest global developments

As of today, South Africa has recorded a cumulative total of 630, 595 Covid-19 cases, with 2,336 new cases identified.

126 more Covid-19 deaths have also been recorded: 12 from KwaZulu-Natal, 49 from Gauteng, 29 from Eastern Cape, 15 from Free State, 16 from Western Cape, 5 from Northern Cape.

This brings the total number of Covid-19 related deaths to 14, 389.

“We extend our condolences to the loved ones of the departed and thank the health care workers that treated the deceased patients. Our recoveries now stand at 553 456, which translates to a recovery rate of 87%,” said Mkhize.

Source: Health department

Source: Health department

Coronavirus toll at 1100 GMT Wednesday

The novel coronavirus has killed at least 857,824 people since the outbreak emerged in China last December, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP at 1100 GMT on Wednesday.

At least 25,807,000 cases of coronavirus have been registered. Of these, at least 16,842,600 are now considered recovered.

The tallies, using data collected by AFP from national authorities and information from the World Health Organization (WHO), probably reflect only a fraction of the actual number of infections.

Many countries are testing only symptomatic or the most serious cases.

On Tuesday, 6,262 new deaths and 262,790 new cases were recorded worldwide. Based on latest reports, the countries with the most new deaths were Brazil with 1,215 new deaths, followed by the United States with 1,090 and India with 1,045.

The US is the worst-hit country with 184,689 deaths from 6,076,281 cases. At least 2,202,663 people have been declared recovered.

After the US, the hardest-hit countries are Brazil with 122,596 deaths from 3,950,931 cases, India with 66,333 deaths from 3,769,523 cases, Mexico with 65,241 deaths from 606,036 cases, and Britain with 41,504 deaths from 337,168 cases.

The country with the highest number of deaths compared to its population is Peru with 88 fatalities per 100,000 inhabitants, followed by Belgium (85), Spain (62), the United Kingdom (61), and Chile (59).

China — excluding Hong Kong and Macau — has to date declared 85,066 cases, including 4,634 deaths and 80,234 recoveries.

Latin America and the Caribbean overall has 280,367 deaths from 7,437,660 cases, Europe 216,403 deaths from 4,025,582 infections, and the United States and Canada 193,854 deaths from 6,205,463 cases.

Asia reported 99,555 deaths from 5,332,109 cases, the Middle East 36,873 deaths from 1,515,498 cases, Africa 30,065 deaths from 1,261,375 cases, and Oceania 707 deaths from 29,320 cases.

As a result of corrections by national authorities or late publication of data, the figures updated over the past 24 hours may not correspond exactly to the previous day’s tallies.

Coronavirus: latest global developments

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:

– China to resume direct flights –

Starting September 3, China will resume direct international flights to Beijing from eight countries with low rates of the coronavirus, after a freeze of more than five months.

The new rules will apply to flights from Thailand, Cambodia, Pakistan, Greece, Denmark, Austria, Sweden and Canada, but travellers will be subject to centralised quarantine on arrival for 14 days and have to take two Covid-19 tests.

– Australia joins recession train –

Australia falls into recession for the first time in three decades, joining countries such as Brazil and India, leaving China as the only major nation still recording economic growth during the pandemic.

The country’s economy shrunk a record seven percent in the second quarter, as households altered their behaviour and restrictions were put in place to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

– Venice Mostra opens, masked – 

The Venice Film Festival opens with strict safety measures in place, including masks, for the industry’s first international competition since the coronavirus hit.

“La Mostra” — now in its 77th year — opens despite film festivals around the world opting to cancel, including Venice’s French rival, the Cannes Film Festival.

– First infection in Greek migrant camp –

Greece announces a first infection in its largest migrant camp of Moria on the island of Lesbos, where more than 12,700 people live in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions.

The infected man is a 40-year-old Somali, who had recently returned to the island from Athens.

– More than 857,800 dead – 

The pandemic has killed 857,824 people worldwide since surfacing in China late last year, according to an AFP count at 1100 GMT Wednesday, based on official sources.

More than 25.8 million cases have been registered.

The United States has recorded the highest number of deaths with 184,689, followed by Brazil with 122,596, India with 66,333, Mexico 65,241 and Britain 41,504 fatalities.

– Maldives tightens entry requirements –

Exclusive tourist hotspot the Maldives tightens entry requirements after a spike in coronavirus infections at more than a dozen resorts.

The Indian Ocean archipelago re-opened its luxury resort islets in mid-July after a months-long lockdown, but since then 29 local staff and 16 foreigners have tested positive at the resorts, officials say.

– Medics in Syria dying: HRW –

Human Rights Watch says that frontline staff battling the coronavirus in government-held areas of Syria are dying in growing numbers for want of personal protective equipment.

It reported multiple deaths of doctors in August from Covid-19-related symptoms, many of which did not appear in government figures because no tests were carried out.

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