Government in Zimbabwe has reimposed a lockdown and mandatory quarantines for all travellers amid rising Covid cases in order to curb the spread of the Omicron variant. President Emmerson Mnangagwa reimposed a curfew from 21:00 to 06:00 local time and said international travellers will be required to be tested on …
Read More »COVID-19: Rwanda to start administering third dose
Health authorities in Rwanda have announced that the country will begin giving third doses to the elderly and those who have underlying conditions starting on Tuesday. The health ministry says the implementation will be done in phases and will begin in the capital, Kigali. People between 30 and 50 are …
Read More »COVID-19: Eswatini to start giving third dose
Authorities in Eswatini have launched vaccination campaign to administer third dose of the coronavirus vaccine as the country heightens alert after a new variant was discovered. According to the authorities, those aged 18 and over, who have been fully vaccinated with AstraZeneca, Pfizer or Moderna, within the last six months …
Read More »COVID-19: China pledges one billion vaccines for Africa
The Chinese president Xi Jinping has pledged that his country will donate one billion additional coronavirus vaccine doses to Africa, BBC News reported. He said 600 million vaccines would be sent directly, while the remainder would be delivered by other means, including through investing in vaccine production sites in Africa. …
Read More »South Africa: president Ramaphosa calls for lifting of travel bans
The South African president Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned travel bans enacted against his country and its neighbours over the new coronavirus variant Omicron and called for their lifting. The president said he was “deeply disappointed” by the action, which he described as unjustified, and called for the bans to be …
Read More »COVID-19: WHO due to hold meeting over new variant in South Africa
The World Health Organization (WHO) is due to hold a special meeting on Friday to consider the significance of a rapidly spreading new coronavirus variant discovered in South Africa. Experts in Geneva will decide whether the B.1.1.529 variant should be designated a variant of concern. A senior WHO official said …
Read More »COVID-19: UK halts flights from six African countries
British authorities have suspended all flights from South Africa and five other countries in the region in response to the discovery of a highly transmissible new coronavirus variant. From midday GMT on Friday, direct flights from South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Eswatini will be suspended until further notice. …
Read More »South Africa: scientists detect new COVID-19 variant
Scientists in South Africa have detected a new COVID-19 variant and are working to understand its potential implications, they said on Thursday. The variant called B.1.1.529 has a “very unusual constellation” of mutations, which are concerning because they could help it evade the body’s immune response and make it more …
Read More »Uganda: government worried about increase in female genital mutilation
Ugandan Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development has raised a red flag over the increasing cases of female genital mutilation (FGM) during the Covid-19 pandemic. The revelation comes two days ahead of the 16 days of activism campaign against gender-based violence (GBV) . Addressing journalists at Uganda Media Centre …
Read More »COVID-19: Kenya and Rwanda begin children vaccination
Health officials in Kenya and Rwanda have announced that adolescents are now eligible to receive Pfizer’s anti-Covid vaccines as the two East African countries launch vaccination campaigns. Rwanda will be vaccinating children from the age of 12 and above from Tuesday while Kenya is allowing those from 15 years. The …
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