COVID-19 LIVE UPDATES | Zwelinzima Vavi discharged from hospital, remains in isolation

April 7 2020 12:00

Zwelinzima Vavi discharged from hospital, remains in isolation

Saftu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi has been discharged from hospital after he tested positive for Covid-19.

April 7 2020 11:45

Ramaphosa to be briefed on water department's Covid-19 response plan

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Tuesday visit the human settlements, water and sanitation command centre in Johannesburg where he will get feedback on the department's Covid-19 response plan.

April 7 2020 11:24

Wits engineers make face shields to protect healthcare workers

A group of engineering students at the University of the Witwatersrand are making face shields for healthcare workers to protect themselves against.

"Netcare 911, one of the healthcare facilities currently experiencing a massive shortage of protective gear, called on the 3D printing community to assist with printing head rings for face shields for use by medical staff treating patients with COVID-19."

"Teams at Wits from the Digital Incubator at the Tshimologong Precinct, the School of Mechanical, Industrial and Aeronautical Engineering (MIA) along with the Transnet Centre of Systems Engineering (TCSE) and the Transnet Matlafatšo Centre (TMC) heeded the call and used their engineering prowess to assist with a solution to the problem."

April 7 2020 10:45

Keeping fit while in lockdown

The department of health has shared fitness techniques to help South Africans to stay fit while in lockdown.

April 7 2020 10:28

'Stay safe Africa': billionaire Jack Ma donates more equipment for Covid-19 combat

Africa's fight against the deadly Covid-19 was given yet another boost by Chinese billionaire businessman Jack Ma, who announced a second donation of health-care equipment to African states. 

This comes a few weeks after the Alibaba founder announced his foundation and the Alibaba Foundation would donate equipment to African countries to help them fight the Covid-19 pandemic which has claimed thousands of lives.

Similar donations were made to Latin America, Asia and the US. 

April 7 2020 10:00

Local scientists claim breakthrough that could help find Covid-19 vaccine

As South African enters the 12th day of the nationwide lockdown aimed at containing the spread of Covid-19, local researchers have claimed progress in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

The scientists — from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) and the University of the Western Cape's South African National Bioinformatics Institute (Sanbi) — have sequenced the first severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) genome.

April 7 2020 09:50

Ramaphosa wishes Boris Johnson a 'speedy recovery'

President Cyril Ramaphosa has wished Britain's prime minister Boris Johnson a speedy recovery.

"Wishing prime minister Boris Johnson a full and speedy recovery, and sending our support to him and to the people of the United Kingdom. We are going through a most challenging period but we shall overcome. Our thoughts are with him and his loved ones at this time."

April 7 2020 09:40

World health day an opportunity to celebrate selfless acts of health workers: WHO

The World Health Organisation says World Health Day is about celebrating the selfless acts of health care practitioners.

April 7 2020 08:17

Sassa gives food parcels to recipients whose grants lapsed due to Covid-19 lockdown

The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) is providing food parcels and vouchers to temporary disability grant recipients whose grants expired in March and who could not reapply for the renewal of the grants because of the national lockdown.

“Sassa offices were closed since the lockdown and this posed a challenge for beneficiaries whose grants expired in March and were therefore unable to reapply at Sassa offices,” Sassa spokesperson Paseka Letsatsi said.

April 7 2020 08:06

Prisoners & staff to be tested for Covid-19 after warder tests positive

A female official working at the East London Correctional Centre, in Westbank, has tested positive for Covid-19, the department of correctional services said late on Monday.

Correctional services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo told DispatchLIVE that all officials who have come into contact with the infected person have been identified and asked to isolate at home while awaiting testing.

April 7 2020 07:00

‘I don’t know about this corona thing’: it’s life as usual in hostels

In the notorious Glebelands Hostel in KZN, social distancing does not apply - with good reason.

Times Select takes you inside Glebelands as eThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda makes an appearance to resolve the issue of "hand sanitisers".​

• GET THE FULL STORY IN TODAY’S TIMES SELECT