Debbie Minnaar an assistant teacher at Alma School for mentally and physically disabled children receives the Covid-19 vaccination, 23 June 2021, Pretoria North Community Hall, Pretoria. Picture: Jacques Nelles
As of Saturday, the cumulative number of detected Covid-19 cases in South Africa is 17,958 new cases identified, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) confirmed, representing a 25.6% positivity rate.
A further 215 Covid-19-related deaths have been reported, bringing the death toll in South Africa to 59,900. There are currently 158, 998 active cases.
During the course of the pandemic, 1, 709, 999 people have recovered.
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The Department of Basic Education said on Sunday over 185 000 teachers have been vaccinated up to date.
The vaccination of teachers started last Wednesday, targeting 582 000 people by 8 July.
“The [Limpopo] province has managed to administer the vaccine to 15 000 people in two successive days. At this rate, Limpopo needs one more day to complete vaccinating everybody on the list,” Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said.
She will be in the Free State on Monday to encourage people to be vaccinated. Joining her will be provincial education MEC, Tate Makgoe, on visits to Seemahale Secondary School in Botshabelo, Pontsheng Primary School and Mpatleng Senior Secondary.
“The minister will proceed to the Northern Cape on Tuesday … and the Eastern Cape on Thursday this week. The visits are aimed at encouraging more people to get the vaccine. The department is satisfied with the turnout and remains hopeful the target will be met as scheduled,” they said.
The provinces will continue with the vaccine rollout from Monday to Friday.
Moscow reports 144 Covid-19 deaths on Sunday, topping the record number of daily fatalities in a Russian city set by Saint Petersburg just one day earlier, as the highly contagious Delta variant rapidly spreads in the country.
Millions of residents in Sydney, Australia’s largest city, wake up to their first full day of a two-week lockdown to contain their own Delta outbreak.
Restaurants, bars and cafes are shuttered after stay-at-home orders for central neighbourhoods were extended over the weekend across the sprawling city and to the coastal and mountainous regions surrounding it.
Thailand, which like Australia has had relative success in keeping infections rates low, will impose new restrictions in Bangkok to try to quash a wave that kicked off in April when a cluster was found in upscale Bangkok clubs typically frequented by the elite.
Indoor dining and gatherings of more than 20 people will be prohibited and construction sites will be closed in the capital and its suburbs from Monday.
Belgium further eases restrictions as its Covid numbers continue to fall, with eight people now allowed at restaurant tables and as guests in homes, both up from four.
The pandemic has killed at least 3,919,801 people since the virus first emerged in December 2019, according to an AFP compilation of official data at 1000 GMT Sunday.
The United States is the worst-affected country with 603,891 deaths, followed by Brazil with 512,735, India with 395,751 Mexico with 232,521 and Peru with 191,584.
The World Health Organization says up to three times more people have died directly or indirectly due to the pandemic than official figures suggest.
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