Category: Covid-19 - Page 23 - African News Today

Kenya Records Close to 4,000 Pregnant School Girls During Corona Virus Lockdown

17Jun

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Covid-19, Education, Kenya, News, Women Empowerment

Kenya Records Close to 4,000 Pregnant School Girls During Corona Virus Lockdown

The chances of school girls in Kenya continuing their education after lockdown have been threatened by spate of pregnancy among school-going girls in the country. Teen pregnancy has surged in the five months period of lockdown imposed in the country as measure to check the spread of fatal corona virus disease. A Health Information Survey conducted in Kenya reveals that about 4,000 school girls have been impregnated over the course of the lockdown. North eastern prince- Machakos leads in the number of pregnancies recorded. Data gathered reveals a total of 3,964 pregnancies among girls aged 19 years and below. Salome Muthama the Machakos County Children Officer claims the reported cases do not represent the actual figure. She said far more cases are unreported at present. Accordi...

China to Unite with African Leaders Against COVID-19

16Jun

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Africa, China, Covid-19, Economy, News

China to Unite with African Leaders Against COVID-19

The President of China Xi Jinping is scheduled to host a virtual summit with African leaders in solidarity against coronavirus on Wednesday in Beijing, China. This was announced by Hua Chunying, spokesperson of Chinese foreign ministry. The summit will be held at the instance of China; South Africa, the rotating chair of the African Union (AU); and Senegal, co-chair of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. It will hold through video link. President Xi will present a keynote address at the summit. In attendance will be leaders of African countries, members of the African Union (AU) Assembly of Heads of State and Government and chairs of major African subregional organisations. Equally invited as guests are secretary-general of the United Nations and the director-general of the Wor...

African Football Federations Shortlist Clubs to Partake in Covid-19 Fund Raising Competition by FIFA

16Jun

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Africa, Covid-19, News, Sports

African Football Federations Shortlist Clubs to Partake in Covid-19 Fund Raising Competition by FIFA

World football governing body - FIFA plans to raise funds to combat corona virus through a competition among continental Confederations when clubs are cleared to restart play with fans in stadiums. Each federation is expected to shortlist 16 teams for the competition. The clubs selected to represent the African continent are as follows: Enyimba Kaizer Chiefs Al Ahly Esperance TP Mazembe Hearts of oak Orlando Pirates Zamalek KCC Zesco United El Merika Sudan Gor Mahia Enugu Rangers AS Vita Raja Casablanca Wydad CASABLANCA The tournament will be played for a month concurrently in each continent over two legs. The funds raised will be managed by FIFA who would reward participating clubs at the Hall of Heroes in Zurich, Switzerland. Reports say, participating clubs we...

Kenya Relaxes Burial Guidelines Amid Increased Cases of Covid-19

15Jun

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Covid-19, Kenya, News

Kenya Relaxes Burial Guidelines Amid Increased Cases of Covid-19

The Kenyan ministry of health has relaxed guidelines relating to the burial of COVID-19 victims. Kenya had established a guideline which required victims of corona virus to be buried not more than 48 hours after death. Families of victims had been forced to hurriedly bury their relatives to evade breaking the rule. Some had to put their loved ones to the grave at night. The director general of ministry of health, Patrick Amoth has disclosed that the relaxation is due to findings that people stand a low risk of contracting coronavirus through dead bodies if well handled. “If you look at the transmission of Covid-19 against other infections, there is very little likelihood that one stands a chance of getting infected from a body, if treated well,” he said. Reports say a...

Most-At-Need Sudanese to Get Direct Cash Payments from Government

15Jun

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Covid-19, Economy, News, Sudan

Most-At-Need Sudanese to Get Direct Cash Payments from Government

Citizens of Sudan are set to receive direct cash transfers from next week as part of experimental programme as the country attempts to ease off expensive subsidies. Sudan’s capital Khartoum has been striving to revive its faltering economy. This latest attempt is aimed at improving the lot of the city and the country at large. Sudan has faced an inflation rate of almost 100% and the currency facing a free fall. The government has had to print money to subsidise basic necessities like bread, fuel and electricity. The country has a foreign debts rate of about $62 billion. Last week, its government started talks that could usher international finance support by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) through a non-funded programme. Under first phase of the new pilot cash payment progr...

Congo Loses Veteran Politician Pierre Lumbi to Covid-19

15Jun

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Congo, Covid-19, News

Congo Loses Veteran Politician Pierre Lumbi to Covid-19

Congo mourns the passing of veteran politician Pierre Lumbi who died as a result of corona virus. Lumbi who died on Sunday 14 June, 2020 was an advisor of former President Joseph Kabila and afterwards a figurehead in the opposition. He comes the highest placed victim of the novel coronavirus in Congo. He was equally a popular member of civil society in the 1990s, Lumbi held several ministerial portfolios before advising Kabila on security. Lumbi was elected as a Senator for South Kivu province in 2016 and worked as campaign manager for Martin Fayulu in his bid to win the 2018 election. Fayulu tweeted, “Very saddened by the death of Senator P. Lumbi.” He died at the Centre Medical in the capital city of Kinshasa, due to complications relating to coronavirus said his family. T...

South Africa: Student Union Threatens to Close Schools Across SA Over Covid-19 Fears

14Jun

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Covid-19, Education, News, South Africa, Youths

South Africa: Student Union Threatens to Close Schools Across SA Over Covid-19 Fears

The Congress of South African Students (Cosas) have said the body will be “shutting down all schools over SA” from Monday. The union said in a statement, “We want to put it on record that we are not giving anyone an option but we are taking a radical approach, we will save the lives of innocent scholars by hook or crook.” Cosas said it would mobilise at a school in Cape Town where it believed a Covid-19 case had been reported, “from there we will move to any other school that is operating”. This comes after recent reopening of schools in South Africa. Cosas is believed to be of the view that school reopening amid corona virus threat is undue. Source: TimesLive

Update: COVID-19 Cases Recorded in Nigeria Rise to 13,464

10Jun

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Covid-19, News, Nigeria

Update: COVID-19 Cases Recorded in Nigeria Rise to 13,464

Latest update published by the Nigerian centre for Disease for Disease Control (NCDC) shows that Nigeria has recorded fresh 663 cases of coronavirus. It brings the total number of cases in Nigeria to 13,464 with 365 deaths while 4206 have been discharged. It read, “663 new cases of #COVID19; Lagos-170, Ogun-108, Bauchi-69, Ebonyi-49, Edo-33, Rivers-30, FCT-26, Jigawa-26, Delta-20, Anambra-17, Gombe-16, Kano-16, Imo-15, Abia-14, Borno-11, Oyo-11, Plateau-8, Kebbi-6, Kaduna-6, Ondo-4, Niger-2, Katsina-2, Osun-1, Ekiti-1, Kwara-1 and 1 in Nasarawa-1. “13464 cases of ‪#COVID19Nigeria. Discharged: 4206, deaths: 365.”

Corona Virus: Schools Resume in South Africa

9Jun

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Africa, Covid-19, Education, News, Safety, South Africa

Corona Virus: Schools Resume in South Africa

School children in South Africa resumed classroom activities on Monday, 8th June 2020, as government starts to ease restrictions imposed on the country to curb the spread of corona virus. Resumption of schools was delayed in the country after teachers’ union advised members to ignore the order by the government to resume last week, stating that schools lacked adequate health measures to keep both teachers and pupils safe. Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga had earlier stated on Sunday that government concluded efforts to equip schools in the past week and that 95% of primary and secondary schools in the country are now able to restart. “The golden rule is there will be no school that will resume if not ready to do so,” Motshekga said. She also stated that government will...

Increased Number of COVID-19 Cases in Ghana Stop Operators from Reopening

9Jun

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Covid-19, Economy, Ghana, News

Increased Number of COVID-19 Cases in Ghana Stop Operators from Reopening

Bar and pub operators in Ghana have continued to make appeals to the government to ease some restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic to allow them restart operations, the Ghana News Agency reports. West African country, Ghana has continued to enforce strict measures to curb the growing number of corona virus cases. Ghana had a surge in COVID-19 cases in May 2020 but there has been a gradual ease of restrictions to enable some sectors of the economy to function. This may have informed the decision by pub operators to make the appeal to the government. The operators maintained that the lock down of their businesses due to the pandemic was affecting them economically. They expressed their readiness to enforce the required health protocols if allowed to resume operations. President...