
Coronavirus live Africa: latest Covid-19 news – Friday 5 June

Africa Covid-19 update: 16:00 WAT on Friday 5 June (17:00 CEST)
According to the latest figures published by Johns Hopkins University, 6,675,011 cases have been detected worldwide, with 391,848 deaths and 2,895,167 people now recovered.
Nigeria: 11,516 cases / 323 deaths
South Africa: 40,792 cases / 848 deaths
Ghana: 8,885 cases / 38 deaths

Nigeria proposes steep basic healthcare budget cuts despite coronavirus
Nigeria is proposing slashing its basic healthcare funding by almost half as government finances in Africa’s biggest economy take a hit from the novel coronavirus pandemic and low oil prices, according to the latest budget proposal documents.
The planned healthcare cuts come as Nigeria’s coronavirus outbreak steadily worsens, and are part of a 2020 budget revision carried out because of the pandemic. The government in Africa’s top oil exporter is dependent on crude sales for much of its funding.
The government proposes cutting its basic healthcare funding by 43% from its original 2020 budget to 25.6 billion naira ($71 million), according to the budget proposal, now with parliament before final presidential approval.
S. Africa’s COVID-19 cases rise and president worries about Cape Town region
Even as South Africa eases its coronavirus lockdown, infection numbers have started to rise quickly and President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Friday he was particularly concerned about the province around Cape Town.
Western Cape, whose Table Mountain and wine tours make it a leading tourist destination, has become the country’s main coronavirus hotspot, with around two-thirds of the country’s total 40,792 cases. It has also recorded 651 out of the the country’s total of 848 deaths.
South Africa recorded its largest daily jump of cases on Thursday, with 3,267 new cases.
Ramaphosa visited Cape Town on Friday to be briefed on efforts to tackle the virus, including the opening of a new temporary field hospital for mild to moderately sick patients.
“The Western Cape is the epicentre for COVID-19 infections and this concerns us deeply,” he said.
As South Africa records Africa’s highest coronavirus case numbers in Africa, the country’s top vaccine expert, Prof Shabir Madhi says hospitals could be overwhelmed within a matter of weeks.
Cape Town hospitals are… https://www.instagram.com/p/CBDqZnWMdoC/?igshid=1i6lf7oa2f6pz …

It’s not over’: COVID-19 cases rise in some nations easing lockdowns – WHO
Some countries have seen “upticks” in COVID-19 cases as lockdowns ease, and populations must protect themselves from the coronavirus while authorities continue testing, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.
The epicentre of the pandemic is currently in countries of Central, South and North America, particularly the United States, WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris said.
“On upticks (in cases), yes we have seen in countries around the world – I’m not talking specifically about Europe – when the lockdowns ease, when the social distancing measures ease, people sometimes interpret this as ‘OK, it’s over’,” Harris told a U.N. briefing in Geneva.
“It’s not over. It’s not over until there is no virus anywhere in the world,” she said.
Congo faces triple threat of coronavirus, Ebola and measles
As the world races to stem the coronavirus, Democratic Republic of Congo is racing to also stop the spread of measles and a new outbreak of Ebola, leaving women delaying reproductive health needs, aid groups warned.
Congo is also facing armed conflict, bringing with it sexual violence against women who, as caregivers, are often on the frontlines of caring for the sick and at higher risk of falling ill and also often blamed for spreading these viruses.
“One of these challenges by itself is very crippling,” said Robert Ghosn, head of emergency operations for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in DRC.
DR Congo’s relentless fight against Ebola | Via: Deutsche Welle https://www.dw.com/en/dr-congos-relentless-fight-against-ebola/a-53675143 …
DR Congo’s relentless fight against Ebola
The Democratic Republic of Congo is battling a new outbreak of the Ebola virus in the northwestern part of the country. It is the eighth outbreak since 2007, but this time the country seems prepared…
dw.com
South Africa still remains the African nation suffering most from the pandemic with over 40,000 confirmed cases of the virus.
Over 168,464 confirmed #COVID19 cases on the African continent – with more than 73,000 recoveries & 4,700 deaths. View country figures & more with the WHO African Region COVID-19 Dashboard: https://arcg.is/XvuSX
South Africa voted top
South Africa was voted the No.1 post coronavirus tourist destination according to a survey via booking company Tourlane.
SA voted most popular ‘post-COVID destination escape’
South Africa nabbed top spot when booking company Tourlane asked its community where their perfect post-coronavirus trip destination would be.https://bit.ly/3eUTk0O #WeDoTourism #COVID19SASA voted most popular ‘post-COVID destination escape’
South Africa nabbed top spot when booking company Tourlane asked its community where their perfect post-coronavirus trip destination would be.
getaway.co.za
Government requests that Ghanians use official channels
The Ghanaian Ministry of Health requests that citizens secure information relating to the pandemic via official outlets.
Make good choices about where you get your information. @mohgovgh is providing up to date and verified information about the corona virus disease. If you have questions, please reach out to your local health facility or call 311. #StaySafe #SocialDistancing #WashYourHands

Nigeria cases via Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC)
This was the breakdown of Covid-19 cases (state by state) as issued Thursday by the NCDC
Algeria to ease coronavirus restrictions on Sunday
Algeria will resume some economic activities and allow a number of businesses to reopen from Sunday as part of a plan to end the coronavirus lockdown, the prime minister’s office said on Thursday.
It said the government would allow the construction and public works sector to resume activity to help ease the impact of the coronavirus-linked restrictions imposed in March.
The government will also permit the reopening of businesses such as home appliances, vegetable and fruit markets, pastries and men’s barbershops.
#Algeria will resume some economic activities and allow a number of businesses to reopen from Sunday as part of a plan to end the #coronavirus lockdown, says the prime minister’s office.#COVID_19https://english.alarabiya.net/en/coronavirus/2020/06/05/Coronavirus-Algeria-to-ease-virus-restrictions-on-Sunday.html …
Coronavirus: Algeria to ease virus restrictions on Sunday
Algeria will resume some economic activities and allow a number of businesses to reopen from Sunday
english.alarabiya.net
The number of coronavirus cases in SA rose to 2,26,770 on Friday morning after 9,851 more people tested positive for the infection in 24 hours.
scroll.in✔@scroll_inPeru’s government has declared oxygen a “strategic health resource” due to an acute shortage to treat Covid-19 patients. The total number of cases in the country has risen to over 1,83,000, with more than 5,000 deaths.
Follow live updates here: https://scroll.in/latest/963846/coronavirus-centres-new-advisory-for-unlock-1-bans-prasad-holy-water-in-religious-places …Covid-19: Situation in Kerala ‘grim’, over 100 cases recorded in a day, says CM Pinarayi Vijayan
The number of coronavirus cases in India rose to 2,26,770 on Friday morning after 9,851 more people tested positive for the infection in 24 hours.
scroll.in
South Africa has recorded 3,267 coronavirus cases in 24 hours, the biggest increase in a single day, The Guardian reports. The total number of infections is now 40,792, and the toll 848, with 56 new deaths.
Live blog: https://scroll.in/latest/963846/coronavirus-centres-new-advisory-for-unlock-1-bans-prasad-holy-water-in-religious-places …
South Africa dehorns dozens of rhinos to prevent lockdown poaching surge
South Africa has dehorned dozens of rhinos in three popular game parks, aiming to prevent armed poachers taking advantage of the post-COVID-19 crash in tourism to kill them for their horns.
The exercise in Pilanesburg National Park and the Mafikeng and Botsalano game reserves — all northwest of Johannesburg — leaves the rhinos with horn rumps too small for poachers to bother with, Nico Jacobs, helicopter pilot and founding member of non-profit Rhino 911 told Reuters.
Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention are trying to ‘move ahead of the curve’ with increased testing across the continent.
Africa CDC tries to ramp up coronavirus tests as lockdowns easehttps://bit.ly/2Y2OR5B
