Daily Covid-19 update: 396 more deaths takes total to 46,869

As of Tuesday, 9 February 2021, the cumulative number of detected Covid-19 cases is 1,479,253 with 1,742 new cases identified, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has confirmed.

396 more Covid-19 related deaths were reported, with 20 from Eastern Cape, 6 from Free State, 81 from Gauteng, 85 from Kwa-Zulu Natal (KZN), 118 from Limpopo, 18 from Mpumalanga, 3 from Northern Cape and 65 from Western Cape.

ALSO READ: Bad news for SA’s roll-out plan

This brings the total number of Covid-19 related deaths to 46,869.

Recoveries now stand at 1,367,247 representing a recovery rate of 92%. 

Meanwhile, a total of 8,538,269 tests have been completed with 26,859 new tests conducted since the last report.

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:

Virus source still a mystery

The World Health Organization mission wraps up its investigation into the origins of the virus in China without identifying the animal source of the disease.

It also says there is “no indication” of the virus being in Wuhan before December 2019.

But no lab link

The mission also discounts a conspiracy theory that the virus came from a famous infectious diseases laboratory in Wuhan.

AstraZeneca jab ‘vital tool’

The AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine remains a vital tool against the virus despite some doubts over its efficacy for certain age groups, the WHO says, as it gets ready to ship 337.2 million shots to poorer countries through its Covax scheme.

Iran launches campaign

Iran begins to vaccinate its 80-million-plus population with Russia’s Sputnik V shot, with the country due to receive 4.2 million additional doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford jab via Covax.

Facebook ban

Facebook is banning groups that spread misinformation and debunked claims about the virus and vaccines.

Accounts that share such misinformation may be removed completely, the social network warns.

Cuban doctors in Panama

Panama thanks more than 200 Cuban doctors for helping Central America’s worst-affected nation, in response to criticism from Washington who consider Cuban medics to be victims of “forced labour” and a propaganda tool for Havana.

Shots for Ukraine

The European Union calls on member states to donate some of their jabs to Ukraine as the country of 44 million awaits eight million doses promised under the Covax programme.

Congressman dies

Texas Republican congressman Ron Wright, 67, has died, becoming the first sitting member of the US Congress to lose his life battling the coronavirus.

Equatorial Guinea curfew

Equatorial Guinea imposes a 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew for the first time, limits flights and reintroduces other restrictions after cases go back up in the West African country.

Total loss

French energy giant Total reports a net loss of $7.2 billion for 2020, compared with a profit of $11.2 billion the previous year, as the pandemic slashes demand for oil.

Easter Island jabs

Easter Island, which has not reported a single case in more than 300 days, begins vaccinating residents, distributing 120 doses on the first day.

Tourism deal

Israel and Greece agree to allow vaccinated citizens of the two countries to travel between them.

Greece third wave

Greece is facing a third wave with 71 percent of intensive care beds in the Athens area now filled with Covid-19 patients.

Matches moved

UEFA moves Manchester City’s Champions League last-16 match to Budapest due to strict entry rules imposed by Germany, a day after Liverpool’s match against Leipzig was also relocated to the Hungarian capital.

More than 2.3 million dead

The virus has killed at least 2,325,744 people since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP Tuesday.

The US is the worst-affected country with 465,083 deaths followed by Brazil with 232,170, Mexico with 166,731, India with 155,158, and the UK with 112,798.

READ MORE: Calls for alternatives as Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine rollout paused

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.