The World Health Organization (WHO) says three drugs already used for other conditions will be used to treat hospitalized COVID-19 patients as part of the global Solidarity PLUS trial program. The three drugs – artesunate, imatinib and infliximab – were chosen by an independent panel of experts looking to find…
Health officials say a slight overall dip in COVID cases on the African continent is welcome, but it doesn’t reflect the reality in many nations that are seeing a surge. New case numbers were down by 1.8 percent during the week ending July 18, according to numbers cited Friday by…
Four members of South Africa’s Olympic sports teams in Tokyo have tested positive for the coronavirus. Three of them are members of Team South Africa’s soccer squad and have moved into an isolation facility after testing positive for COVID, according to the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC)….
The southern African nation of eSwatini has denied reports that its controversial monarch, King Mswati III, has left the country as protesters demand pro-democracy government reforms. In a statement issued Tuesday, Acting Prime Minister Themba Masuku said the king “is in the country and continues to lead” while citing false…
Namibia reported a record high of 2,547 new COVID cases on Thursday, as health minister Kalumbi Shangula appealed for more oxygen supplies and nurses. South Africa saw 18,762 new cases as the government began deploying its COVID surge team. Mozambique, Uganda, Kenya – they’re all seeing impacts from a trending…
South Africa will lead the way in the effort to begin manufacturing COVID vaccines on the African continent, beginning with an mRNA vaccine technology transfer hub supported by the World Health Organization. WHO said it will work with its COVAX partners, a South African consortium of biotech firms, a network…
A group of global development banks announced an $80 billion commitment to invest in African economies on Monday, following on the closely watched weekend G7 Summit in the United Kingdom. The funding will come from the development banks of the G7 nations, along with the private-sector branch of the African…
African nations can expect 5 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from the United States, according to U.S. President Joe Biden. The commitment was announced Thursday as part of a U.S. plan to send vaccines to low-income nations still waiting for the lifesaving medicine. Biden described an allocation of the…
Namibian President Hage Geingob is recovering well following last week’s positive COVID diagnosis, according to a spokesman for the presidency. “The President and the First Lady are in a stable condition and in good spirits. All precautionary measures are taken, and neither the President nor the First Lady have been…
The head of the World Health Organization has made another appeal for the developed world to reconsider how COVID vaccines are being distributed because just 0.3 percent of the global supply is going to low-income countries. “Trickle down vaccination is not an effective strategy for fighting a deadly respiratory virus,”…
Tanzania is implementing new pandemic restrictions meant to curb the spread of COVID-19 infections, according to an announcement from health minister Abel Makubi. The new rules include a ban on all flights to or from India, where the coronavirus is spreading at an alarming pace and emerging variants are adding…
Ugandan officials say they’ve confirmed the first case of a COVID-19 variant that emerged in India and has contributed to that nation’s overwhelming coronavirus outbreak. The Ministry of Health confirmed the presence of the B.1.617 variant on Thursday, noting that it was identified in travelers who returned from India to Kampala…
There are at least 32 million more people living in extreme poverty across sub-Saharan Africa because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and countries in the region will need about $425 billion in additional external funding over the next five years, the IMF said on Thursday. “The outlook for sub‑Saharan Africa is…
Top African health officials are calling for more equitable vaccine distribution, noting that less than 2 percent of the vaccines delivered to date have been for people on the continent and most of that is in just 10 nations. “Although progress is being made, many African countries have barely moved…
The head of Africa’s Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday that ongoing delays in receiving Astra Zeneca vaccines from India pose a threat to controlling the COVID-19 pandemic in the face of emerging variants. John Nkengasong says any interruption would definitely impact the ability to continue vaccinating people….