South Africa

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa could see up to 50,000 coronavirus deaths and as many as 3 million infections by the end of the year as the southern hemisphere winter leads to a higher rate of infection, scientific models showed on Thursday.

The country already has the highest number of infections and deaths on the continent, with more than 18,000 identified cases and 339 deaths, but a national lockdown entering its eighth week had slowed infections.

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Hundreds of people have been killed in a new burst of intercommunal violence in South Sudan, the International Committee of the Red Cross said Thursday, with “many more” injured and thousands displaced.

Among those killed in Jonglei state were a local Red Cross volunteer and a nurse working with the medical aid group Doctors Without Borders, the statement said, stressing that the coronavirus pandemic complicates efforts to respond to such violence and treat the victims.

PRETORIA, May 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least 40,000 people could die with coronavirus in South Africa by the end of the year, scientists have warned.

The projections were made by a group of academics and health experts advising the government.

They assume tough lockdown restrictions will be eased from June, as President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced.

The curbs – which were introduced in March and include a ban on tobacco and alcohol sales – have been credited with slowing the spread of the virus.

PRETORIA, May 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The South African army has begun to build four field hospitals as the country prepares for “the devastating impact” of Covid-19.

“The army, which ordered all its staff back to work on May 1, is also planning to convert 2010 Soccer World Cup stadiums into field hospitals after being warned to expect the worst,” the Independent Online website reported.

Sources in the military are quoted as saying the plans are not unusual and are to augment existing health facilities.

JOHANNESBURG, May 11 (Xinhua) -- More than 900 undocumented migrants from Southern African countries were deported to their original nations last week, said a South African official on Monday.

Bongani Bongo, chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs of Parliament, revealed this during a visit to the Lindela Repatriation Center for undocumented migrants in Gauteng.

The visit came after 37 illegal foreigners escaped from the center.

CAPE TOWN, May 3 (NNN-BUANEWS) – South Africa reported 385 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, the highest daily surge, since the country recorded its first case in early Mar.

The newly-added cases brought the total number of infection to 6,336, Health Minister, Zweli Mkhize, said in a statement.

The Western Cape province leads with 2,700 confirmed cases, followed by Gauteng province with 1,598 and KwaZulu-Natal province with 1,051.

PRETORIA, April 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — More than 70,000 extra troops will be deployed in South Africa to help enforce a lockdown intended to stop the spread of coronavirus, President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced.

South Africa has had 3,465 confirmed coronavirus cases – second only to Egypt in Africa – and 58 deaths.

The country has some of the most stringent coronavirus lockdown restrictions in the world.

But security forces have struggled to enforce them.

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — As Africa braces for a surge in coronavirus cases, its countries are dangerously behind in the global race for scarce medical equipment. Ten nations have no ventilators at all.

Outbid by richer countries, and not receiving medical gear from top aid donor the United States, African officials scramble for solutions as virus cases climb past 25,000. Even in the best scenario, the United Nations says 74 million test kits and 30,000 ventilators will be needed by the continent’s 1.3 billion people this year. Very few are in hand.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Specialists appointed to try to save state-owned South African Airways (SAA) said on Thursday that they had no further funds for rescue efforts and that the two remaining options were a wind-down process or placing the company into liquidation.

The wind-down process is dependent on employees accepting the termination of their employment by mutual consent within a given time frame, the specialists said in a notice to affected parties seen by Reuters.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Around $1 trillion of debt owed by developing countries should be cancelled under a global deal proposed by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) on Thursday to help them overcome the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.

The world’s developing economies, which were already struggling with a rapidly growing debt burden, now confront a record global downturn, plummeting prices for their oil and commodities exports and weakening local currencies.