Login to BlackFacts.com using your favorite Social Media Login. Click the appropriate button below and you will be redirected to your Social Media Website for confirmation and then back to Blackfacts.com once successful.
Enter the email address and password you used to join BlackFacts.com. If you cannot remember your login information, click the “Forgot Password” link to reset your password.
The South African National Defence Force's military health service has been deployed to Gauteng to assist in dealing with rising Covid-19 infections in the province.
The president also stressed the importance of keeping the economy open after months of stifling movement restrictions.
He urged citizens not to drop their guard and continue adhering to the health rules, such as wearing face masks and respecting curfew times.
South Africa has recorded just over 800,000 coronavirus infections - more than a third of the cases reported across the African continent - and over 20,000 deaths.
AFP
[WHO] Niamey -- Niger has witnessed a decline in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks following a surge. Public Health Minister Hon. Botto Ahmet explains what it took to cut back infections and the efforts being strengthened to curb the spread of the virus.
[Shabelle] The Somali Ministry of Health on Monday said it's planning to reintroduce COVID-19 restriction measures aimed at containing the spread of the virus amid the resurgence of infections across the country.
KwaZulu-Natal has recorded more than 157 000 infections of COVID-19 and premier Sihle Zikalala has called on the province to embrace ‘the new normal’
A group of nine leading scientists who advised President Barack Obama has warned that the US has just three months to rebuild its stockpile of emergency medical equipment if it wants to be prepared for a second wave of coronavirus in the fall.
In a seven-page report, whose lead author was the White House science adviser for both Obama terms, the experts fault the Trump administration for failing to replenish the Strategic National Stockpile in preparation for a pandemic just like the one we’re living through now.
The EU’s coronavirus chief has also warned Europe to brace for a second wave, while another top US scientist, the groundbreaking cancer and HIV researcher William Haseltine, has said countries must work to contain the disease, not count on the possibility of a vaccine being developed, which is “not a slam-dunk by any means”.
Black Americans are dying from coronavirus at three times the rate of white people, according to figures compiled by the non-partisan APM Research Lab.
As Lois Beckett writes, the government’s pandemic response has been warped by racism, with the health secretary, Alex Azar, apparently blaming the disease’s victims for their ill health:
Nevada and Wisconsin are trying to make it easier for people to vote safely and by mail during the pandemic.
The National Congress had not said anything about the Teich resignation, but the former minister of education during the Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva government and left-wing candidate for president of Brazil in 2018, Fernando Haddad, published a tweet saying: “Who will be the next Health Minister?
After Mandetta’s firing and the announcement Teich would take over, Davi Alcolumbre, president of the Federal Senate and the National Congress of Brazil, along with Rodrigo Maia, president of the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies, shared a joint note criticizing the decision on Twitter: “It, to the whole country, at this moment, is certainly not a positive thing and it will be felt by all of us.”
It is a neoliberalism politic that trust that the market solves the problems; without public politics they have broken the public health system… In Brazil, we must fight against COVID-19 on one side, and on the other side mismanagement that has no respect for the people.”
“Bolsonaro seeks to imitate Trump with similarity in regards to the market and to money, but with a difference that Trump defends the interests of the United States and Bolsonaro also defends the United States but not Brazil, by dismantling Brazil with the privatization of the electric sector and the Petrobrás company, by dismantling social politics and by threatening the democratic rule of law,” he said.
Mandetta had been doing an amazing job and we were in agreement with his orders to maintain social isolation and quarantine,” said Caio Regatieri, an ophthalmologist and professor at Universidade Federal de São Paulo who tends to patients at Hospital Sao Paulo, which is in the public healthcare system, known in Brazil as the Unique Health System.
At least 812 health workers have, so far, tested positive for COVID-19 in Nigeria, the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Chikwe Ihekweazu, has said.
Mr Ehanire explained that only health care workers with training in infectious diseases control are eligible to handle COVID-19 patients.
The federal government had earlier barred private hospitals from treating COVID-19 cases, saying many of the health workers there are not trained to handle such a disease.
\"A special COVID-19 hazard and inducement allowance of 50 per cent of Consolidated Basic Salary will also be paid to all health workers in Nigerian Teaching Hospitals, Federal Medical Centres (FMCs), and designated COVID-19 centres for the first three months in the first instance.
\"40 cent of the Consolidated Basic Salary would be paid as special COVlD-19 Hazard and Inducement Allowance to health workers at special Non-Public Hospitals and clinics in the Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for same three months' period,\" the minister of state for health, Olurunnimbe Mamora, said
He also said 20 per cent of the Consolidated Basic Salary will be paid to all health workers directly managing COVlD-19 at the Infectious Diseases Hospitals (IDH) isolation and treatment centres.
After the second wave of the the Saharan dust blanketed Jamaica over the weekend, sections of the island experienced heavy rain yesterday, the last day of June, which is part of the secondary rainy season.The rain caused flooding in sections of the Corporate Area and Jamaica Observer photographer Naphtali Junior captured some of the scenes in Half-Way-Tree, St Andrew.
Immune memory vs trained immunity
There are two main types of cells within our immune system: innate cells, which respond rapidly to microbes that cause disease, and adaptive cells, which initially respond quite slowly.
Some live attenuated vaccines, such as BCG, can trigger trained immunity, which can enhance early control of other infections.
This raises the tantalising possibility that BCG could train innate cells to improve early control of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, to reduce COVID-19 disease or even prevent infection.
Importantly, because it's a live bacterium, it can spread from the vaccine site and cause disease, called disseminated BCG, in people who are immunodeficient, like people with HIV.
So BCG would be most helpful for people at high risk of exposure, but it wouldn't replace a traditional vaccine based on immune memory.
South Africa’s Covid-19 infections have surpassed the 100 000 mark after 4 288 new cases were reported on Monday.
The positive cases are now sitting at 101 590, while close to 2 000 people have lost their lives.
Of the new 61 Covid-19 related deaths reported, 39 are from the Western Cape, 18 from the Eastern Cape, three from KwaZulu-Natal and one from Limpopo, bringing the death toll to 1 991.
The Western Cape continues to be the worst-hit province, with over 51% of infections and the highest number of deaths.
The coastal province has 52 554 positive cases, followed by Gauteng with 22 341.
Eskom said that Nersa having concurred with the determination that 11 813 MW worth of infrastructure is required has come at a good time.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, warned against events such as President Trump's upcoming campaign rally with the country still in the throes of the coronavirus pandemic.
When asked whether he would attend Trump's rally, Fauci said no.
\"I'm in the high-risk category,\" said the 79-year-old Fauci.
The Trump campaign said the rally will be held at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, this weekend in spite of the ongoing pandemic.
However, attendees will be required to sign a waiver absolving the campaign of liability for any exposure to the coronavirus during the event.
Luanda — The number of covid-19 infections in Angola remains 48 since two days ago, with two deaths, 17 recoveries and 29 active patients in stable health condition.
The information was released Saturday evening in Luanda by the secretary of State for Public Health, Franco Mufinda.
According to the official, who was speaking at the daily covid-19 update briefing, the national labs have so far tested 6.803 specimens with 48 confirmed cases, 5.803 negative and 502 pending results.
Of those infected, Mufinda said, 21 are cases of local transmission involving Angolans and foreigners.
Rwandans should be happy that we managed to fight COVID-19 for the last months, recorded no death and now recording lower cases of infections.
Rwanda has fought COVID-19 with unwavering consistency but some of our neighbours still have high numbers of infections.
How close is Rwanda to reporting zero COVID-19 infections?
Given the situation since March 14 when the first COVID-19 case was recorded in the country, I would say if the current efforts are maintained, in two months, we would have no infection.
If neighbouring countries do not equally take tough measures, we will always have risks of importing new infections.
Students of The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, will be able to access medical care islandwide at private and public institutions come September 2020, following the passing of an extended health-card policy led by the students’ guild.
Prior to the policy change, students were only able to obtain medical services and prescription drugs at the UWI Health Centre or at public hospitals in Jamaica.
All registered students become eligible for the university’s mandatory health insurance plan and are issued health cards at the start of each academic year, once their miscellaneous fees have been paid.
Guild President Christina Williams told The Gleaner that over the years, hundreds of students, including her, opted not to collect their health cards because of the limited access it provides.
The policy change will reflect a $450 increase in the health insurance fee paid by students for the upcoming academic year.
BY PHYLLIS MBANJE There are growing concerns that health workers in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Eswatini and Malawi are struggling to treat escalating numbers of COVID-19 patients in the absence of a vaccine to protect them from the virus. As a highly infectious new strain of COVID-19 spreads through southern Africa, health workers are bearing the brunt of the pandemic with many getting infected. In light of this, the Doctors Without Borders (MSF), has called for equitable distribution of vaccines, prioritising healthcare workers. “We are appalled by the inequitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines across the world,” said MSF director of operations Christine Jamet. Speaking from Geneva, Jamet said: “While many wealthy countries started vaccinating their health workers and other groups nearly two months ago, countries such as Eswatini, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, which are struggling to respond to this pandemic, have not received a single dose of vaccine to protect the most at risk people, including frontline health staff.” In Zimbabwe, last month was exceptionally difficult. January alone accounted for more than half of the country’s confirmed COVID-19 cases and two-thirds of the total deaths since the start of pandemic in March last year. Throughout the pandemic, MSF has been supporting local health authorities in Harare with COVID-19 screening and referrals, health promotion, health education, access to water and laboratory services. “In response to the rising cases during the second wave, MSF has begun an emergency intervention to increase bed capacity, improve quality of care and service organisation in local hospitals working in partnership with the Health ministry and the City of Harare. “People in the poorest countries seem to be at the back of the queue to access these crucial vaccines,” Jamet said. “There is need for vaccination in countries in southern African that are struggling to respond to the aggressive spread of the new virus strain, which is overwhelming their health systems.” While Mozambique, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Malawi go without vaccines, wealthier nations are hoarding vaccines with the intention to vaccinate beyond the priority groups. “It would be indefensible if some countries started to vaccinate their lower-risk citizens, while many countries in Africa are still waiting to vaccinate their very first frontline health workers,” Jamet said. “This totally goes against the World Health Organisation’s equitable allocation framework. Not only will it prolong the pandemic, but it will put even more lives at risk. “We urge governments who have secured more doses than they need for vaccinating their high-risk groups to urgently share their doses, so that other countries can start vaccinating. This is a global pandemic that requires a global spirit of solidarity if we truly hope to bring it under control.” “MSF calls on vaccine manufacturers to ensure that priority is given to those countries that are in urgent need of protecting their healthcare staff. MSF stands ready to provide logistical support
THE brief work stoppage by nurses in Harare and Bulawayo last week over lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) was a serious indictment on President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s leadership given its recent claims that all was in place to guard the country against the spread of the second wave of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. This begs the question: Is everything in place really? Government needs not be reminded that human life is sacrosanct. Health institutions are supposed to be citadels of good health, but can easily transform into death traps when manned by sick personnel equipped with bare minimum safety clothing. Reports that hundreds of health personnel at public hospitals are carriers of the deadly virus paint a gloomy picture of the state of affairs in hospitals, where patients now face the grim prospect of being infected by the same frontline health workers who are supposed to be taking care of them. Medical professionals have been affected left, right and centre and many of them have suffered from secondary traumatic stress disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and depressive disorders. Life has not been easy for the medical professionals, hence there is greater need for appreciation of these important fighters in the COVID-19 struggle. Considering that COVID-19 is a medical emergency, health personnel’s welfare and safety should be prioritised. Surely, reports of nurses going on strike at this point in time is the last thing Zimbabweans would want to hear. COVID-19 cases are rising and so are deaths, hence government should show its commitment to the handling of the pandemic by making sure the nurses are protected. Imagine how many people go through the hands of the nurses. If the nurses are exposed, how many will contract the virus? Sadly, the nurses have disclosed that they are being forced to work even when exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms. Government has been doling out a lot of money to some projects which, in our view, are of a lesser value than human lives. We hear that Treasury is soon set to release $100 million to be shared between Zanu PF and the opposition MDC-T under the Political Parties Finance Act. This would turn out to be a question of misplaced priorities given the gravity of the health catastrophe the nation is facing. Government has been receiving a lot of PPE donations from well-wishers within and outside our borders, and it would appear the donations are not reaching the intended beneficiaries. Citizens deserve a considerate and responsible government that values human life more than political expediency.
“We now have really clear evidence that wearing masks works — it’s probably a 50% protection against transmission,” Dr. Chris Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, or IHME, at the University of Washington, told CNN late Tuesday.
President Donald Trump has foregone face coverings in public while his presumptive rival Joe Biden has worn one, staking their ground in the partisan debate over whether masks are a paranoid restriction or a necessary precaution.
Illinois appears to be entering a “downward trend,” with the week ending May 16 being the first with a lower number of coronavirus deaths than the week before, Illinois Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said at a news conference.
New York, the hardest-hit state for the virus, reported Monday that 73 residents died in a single day, the lowest daily death toll since the start of the pandemic in the US, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.
The state has reported 99,810 cases and 3,826 deaths, but hospitalizations have been declining slightly over the past two weeks, and the number of those in ICU beds remains stable, the governor said.
