ERITREA has reported its first death from COVID-19, its information ministry said.
The ministry said in a statement on its website late on Wednesday its total confirmed cases of the coronavirus stood at 877, while recoveries were 599.
It gave no more details on the death.
Eritrea reported its first coronavirus case on March 21.
Source – Thomson Reuters Foundation
TUNISIA will ban all events including celebrations for the new year and extend its night curfew until January 15 to help combat the spread of coronavirus, the health minister said on Tuesday.
The government imposed the night curfew in October and banned travel between regions in the North African country.
On Monday, Tunisia said it had recorded a total of 121,718 coronavirus infections, including 4,199 deaths.
Tunisian authorities said they had ordered vaccines from U.S. drugmaker Pfizer.
Source – Thomson Reuters Foundation.
MALAWI will close its borders for 14 days and restrict public gatherings to 100 people following a new surge in cases of the coronavirus, the southern African nation’s presidential task force on COVID-19 said on Tuesday.
After nearly two months without new positive cases, Malawi on Tuesday recorded 46 new infections, bringing the total number of infections to 6,248, with 187 deaths, according to the health ministry.
Malawi’s borders and airports re-opened in October as positive cases fell, although some experts fear the real figure may be higher as just over 80,000 tests have been conducted.
Malawi has a population of around 19 million.
Though small in size – about one-tenth the size of South Africa – Malawi is among the top 10 in the continent in terms of population density, making it vulnerable to the fast-spreading respiratory disease.
The task force said in a briefing in the administrative capital Lilongwe that only essential services personnel and traffic carrying essentials like fuel and medicines would be allowed through the borders.
It said Malawians deported from other countries would also be allowed to enter the country. Those returning would be required to go into mandatory isolation facilities at airports, the officials said.
Labour minister Ken Kandodo tested positive for COVID-19 this week and had been admitted to hospital, where he reported to be in stable condition.
Source – Thomson Reuters Foundation.
The Netherlands has joined a range of nations banning flights from South Africa to stop the spread of a new variant of the coronavirus.
The Dutch government said all passenger flights were banned with immediate effect until January 1, at the latest.
An exception would be made for medical workers, it said, while cargo flights were also still allowed.
At least seven countries and airlines, including Germany and Turkey, were reported to have banned flights to South Africa on Monday after a new genetic mutation of COVID-19 had been found there and is believed to be responsible for a recent surge in infections.
The Netherlands on Sunday already banned all passenger flights and ferries from Britain over the same issue
Panama has also announced that it will deny entry to travelers who have been to the United Kingdom or South Africa in the last 20 days as authorities try to prevent the spread of a new coronavirus strain.
The ban is temporary and applies to passengers entering by air, land or sea, the ministry said in a government publication. It did not specify a date for the measures to conclude.
Guatemala has also announced that it will restrict entry to travelers who have recently visited Britain or South Africa in an effort to prevent the spread of a new coronavirus strain, President Alejandro Giammattei has said.
The new measures will require people who have visited Britain or South Africa within 14 days to quarantine for at least a week upon arrival in Guatemala. Health minister Amelia Flores said the restrictions would initially last two months.
Source: The African Mirror