COVID-19 LIVE UPDATES | World’s Covid-19 epicentre, Wuhan ends 76-day lockdown

April 8 2020 08:20

WATCH | Mpumalanga woman on crutches describes Covid-19 lockdown shopping difficulty

A Mpumalanga woman has issued a plea to South Africans to show kindness to people with disabilities attempting to shop for essential groceries, while sharing an unhelpful experience of her own.

Michelle Schoeman told TimesLIVE that because she was on crutches, she attempted to join a queue she thought would serve the elderly, pregnant women and the disabled at a supermarket in Mashishing.

She took to social media to detail her experience, which she described as embarrassing

April 6 2020 08:00

Joy, relief as exodus from Wuhan begins

Voicing joy and excitement from behind face masks, tens of thousands of people fled Wuhan on Wednesday after a 76-day travel ban was lifted on the Chinese city where the coronavirus pandemic first emerged.

Previously quiet train and bus stations bustled as an exodus began from the city of 11 million, with some passengers wearing hazmat suits.

April 8 2020 07:30

Covid-19 taking toll on the poor, elderly and front-line health workers

Sleeplessness, concentration difficulties, loss of hope and suicidal thoughts – these are some of the psychological effects the coronavirus pandemic has had on many South Africans.

This is according to Abdurahmaan Kenny, mental health portfolio manager at Pharma Dynamics, who says levels of distress are likely to increase as more South Africans become infected, lose their incomes and are forced to isolate.

The pandemic is taking a toll on the mental health of everyone - particularly the poor, elderly, children, parents and front-line health-care workers, said Kenny.

April 8 2020 07:20

Britain's Johnson spends second night in intensive care

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was spending a second night in intensive care battling the coronavirus which has infected more than 55,000 across the country and killed nearly 6,200.

"He stayed at work for you... now pray at home for him," The Sun tabloid splashed across its front page Wednesday while the Daily Express said: "Boris 'will pull through'."

April 8 2020 07:23

'How do we stay safe?': Life in an informal settlement, where following lockdown rules is impossible

“Practising good hygiene and following physical distancing rules is impossible for my family,” 47-year-old Evelyn Masuvhelele said.

This, she said, is because she lives together with her family of 10 in a two-room shack. The luxury of space is something they do not have.