Africa

The Africa Centre for Disease Control has welcomed the World Health Organizations' decision to approve the Sinovac COVID jab. John Nkengasong, the Africa CDC Director, said that the approval was timely since Sinovac was a vaccine that could be easily rolled out in a setting with limited resources, like most African countries. Optimistic and hopeful "We can only be optimistic that the Sinovac will help us increase...

WHO Africa on Thursday reported that the continent had seen a 9 % rise in COVID-19 cases, even as vaccination appeared to stall. Speaking in a Press Briefing, WHO Africa Regional Director, Dr. Moeti Tshidi, said that the country reported 74,000 new COVID-19 cases over the past week. 74,000 new COVID cases “In the past week, 74,000 new COVID-19 cases were reported – an increase of 9%...

Gunmen attacked and sprayed bullets at a car carrying Ugandan government's Transport Minister General Katumba Wamala on Tuesday morning, killing his daughter and driver on the spot. "He(Wamala) sustained injuries in both shoulders," lawmaker Chris Baryomunsi told NBS. The assailants ambushed the former army chief's car near his home in the suburbs of Uganda's capital Kampala, military spokesperson Flavia Byekwaso told Reuters. The Daily Monitor says Wamalwa...

At least 200 sex workers took to the streets of Johannesburg, South Africa, on Thursday to demand the decriminalization of prostitution. Speaking to AFP, one of the protesters wearing a long dress and hiking boots said, “This is what I wear to work. No high heels or short skirts.” She added that sex workers must be respected, saying the job “requires expertise and skills” not known...

Thousands of people have fled Goma once more after seismologists warned of another unexpected volcanic activity in the region. According to a report by CNN, tens of thousands of people have been trying to escape Goma from Thursday as warnings came that Mt Nyiragongo magma could erupt yet again. Previous eruption kills 31 Mt. Nyiragongo erupted last weekend, forcing tens of thousands to flee towards Rwanda and...

The city of Goma, at the foot of the Nyiragongo volcano, which erupted on Saturday (22) in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), was still shaken on Monday morning (24) by numerous and strong earthquakes, causing fear among local populations.The lava river stopped this Sunday (23) a few hundred meters...

The World Health Organisation has confirmed that COVID-19 cases in Africa are declining except for seven countries. The WHO noted that Eritrea, Benin, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Eswatini, and South Africa were witnessing a surge of infections. In the report, they also noted that there was a slight uptick in deaths across the continent. Global cases a threat The seven countries have witnessed a rise of more...

There are growing concerns in South Africa of another COVID-19 wave after the country crossed 2000 COVID cases a day since February 18. South Africa on Thursday evening confirmed that they had gotten 2,150 new COVID cases, with a positivity rate of 6.6 %. It was the second day running that they were reporting over 2000 cases. On Wednesday, the country’s health Ministry confirmed 2,073...

Judges of the International Criminal Court have sentenced former Ugandan child soldier to a 25-year prison term. Dominican Ongwen, who later became a commander of the rebel Lord's Resistance Army, was taken into ICC custody in 2015. In February this year, he was convicted of 61 crimes, including sexual enslavement, murder, torture, child abductions, and rape. Bertram Schmitt, the presiding judge, said his colleagues at the panel...

President Samia Suluhu has shown her commitment to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic as her government has issued new guidelines to curb infections. In a statement issued on Monday, Tanzania’s Health Minister, Prof Abel Makubi, said that they gave the new directive based on the global situation and new COVID-19 variants. Reduce risk in Tanzania "Based on the global epidemiological situation, and the COVID-19 variants emergence, there is...