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Africa Covid-19 update: 08:00 WAT on Monday 31 August (09:00 CEST)

Latest figures published by Johns Hopkins University.

Worldwide

Cases: 25,222,709
Deaths: 846,395
Recoveries: 16,618,168

South Africa

Cases: 625,056
Deaths: 14,028

Egypt 

Cases: 98,727
Deaths: 5,399

Nigeria

Cases: 53,865
Deaths: 1,013

In the world’s coronavirus blind spot, fears of a silent epidemic

The global scramble to thwart the coronavirus has a vast blind spot: sub-Saharan Africa.

In Tanzania, the government outlawed coronavirus testing and declared its national outbreak defeated, even as hundreds of people died monthly from unexplained respiratory problems. Last month in Zambia, 28 people died at home in a single day with Covid-19-like symptoms while waiting to be tested. In South Sudan, government forces barricaded thousands of people inside refugee camps, claiming they were infected but refusing to conduct tests.

Secondary Schools in Delta State on Tuesday resumed academic activities with total compliance to the protocols put in place by the State Government to curtail the spread of the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic.

The schools resumed after over four months holiday due to the COVID-19 pandemic amid low turnout of students.

In a chat with newsmen, the Zonal Coordinator of Institute of Continuing Education, ICE, Warri Zone, Dr Ochuko Ushure said that the school had observed all the protocols provided by the government.

In his words,”We have buckets, water, soap, and hand sanitizers at various locations in the school premises for the students to wash their hands.

“We also ensure that they maintain social distancing, before resumption, we ensure that the classrooms are clean with soap and water.

“We also ensure that the students wear their face mask always directly from the school gate”.

Ushure who expressed hope that more students would start coming to school said that about 147 students were expected to sit for the external exams in the school.

Also, the Vice Principal of Uwangwe College, Mr Benjamin Akpobasa said that the school had complied with all the directives by the state government on the global pandemic.

Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) petrol may sell for N150 per litre in August as marketers are pushing for an upward review.

This is coming after the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA ) announced an increase of the product to a band of N140.80 to N143.80 per litre in July. Prior to the July 1 hike, the agency had approved price band of N121.50 to N123.50 per litre for the product on May 1.

However, a source who spoke to The Nation said marketers are seeking a further increase in the price of PMS due to the soaring price of crude oil in the international market. It was further learnt that Brent Crude which sold for $43.24 per barrel in July, is currently selling for $44.03 per barrel.

The source said;
“We are now in the meeting to fix a new petrol price for the month of August.

“We are asking the PPPRA to approve N150 per litre because the prices of crude oil have increased and there is no subsidy on the product.

“You will hear the announcement of the new price around four o’clock today (Tuesday ).”