Coronavirus News Updates 2020

Democrats in the U.S. Senate forged ahead with President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief plan early on Saturday, turning back Republican attempts to modify the package in a marathon session.

The dogs have reportedly been living with the queen for several weeks at Windsor Castle, west of London, where she has been self-isolating from the coronavirus...

The race, which was held behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic last year, was scheduled for 12-13 June, but has been pushed back until 21-22 August.

The governing body said a recommendation to delay the event, originally scheduled for September 18-October 16, would be ratified next week by tournament organisers and the World Rugby executive committee.

When Lagos imposed a lockdown last year, Nigerian civil servant Ruth Oladimeji saw a way to earn extra money.

The new coronavirus has changed a lot about our lives and children haven't been spared. Warnings about the coronavirus...

The National Press Club (NPC) has named COVID-19 as the Newsmaker of the Year for 2020. This comes a year since the Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, confirmed the first case of coronavirus in South Africa on 5 March 2020. The annual award, made possible by the NPC since 1980, honours a newsmaker in a calendar year based on the amount of media coverage received as well as the impact thereof. The NPC Chairperson, Val Boje, said no story dominated the news in the past 365 days as COVID-19 did. From that first case through the five levels of lockdown, the "family meetings" and vigorous debates around the regulations; the need for personal protective equipment and the demands made on the healthcare services; working from home and job losses; the socio-economic impact, and the need for vaccines, Boje said on Thursday night. Boje also dedicated the award to all those in this country and beyond who have spent the past year fighting the virus, especially doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals. She also made a special mention of scientists and others who have provided advice and worked on treatments and vaccines. Mkhize has described the past year as tumultuous. I believe this award is for all the South Africans out there, fighting COVID-19, the health workers and all those who have had to endure the difficulties of the pandemic. We accept it on the basis that we all understand that those are the people that this award is honouring," said the Minister. The press club also took a moment to remember the 50 000 people who have lost their lives to the infectious disease. We urge everyone to continue taking the required precautions such as wearing a mask in public and regular hand and surface sanitising, it said.

President Cyril Ramaphosa says as people adapt to new ways of working and as they make use of technology to do their work, the digital revolution should also happen in rural areas. The President said this when he addressed the opening of the National House of Traditional Leaders at the Old Assembly Chamber in Parliament on Thursday. He said COVID-19 has changed peoples lives - it has changed the way everyone does things and people have also adapted. We have adopted new ways of working, new ways of doing things. We have also adopted technology processes that enable us to be able to meet rather cost effectively, but to carry on doing the work that needs to be done. And it is in this regard that some of the more important economic recovery processes such as the digital revolution that must take place in our country also needs to be focused on rural communities because quite often, the temptation, and it is the temptation that even private sector companies that usually control this fall into, they will tend to focus on the urban areas and leave out the rural areas. But in our country, through the work that you do, through the focus on the important things that should happen to improve the lives of our people, to get us to move away from poverty, inequality and unemployment, we rely on you to be able to work with us, he said. Calls for partnerships to rebuild the economy The President said, meanwhile, that the coronavirus pandemic will continue to be around for some time to come. He said the task of rebuilding the country is an immense one. The partnerships between government, traditional leaders, the private sector, civil society and other stakeholders will be key to our success. We have demonstrated over the past year that when we work together we can achieve more, he said. Government committed to hosting Presidential land summit At the opening of the House last year, the President announced that the Presidency would host the Presidential Land Summit. He said provincial engagements that were mooted to take place ahead of the summit had to be halted because of the pandemic. I am, however, pleased that even under these difficult circumstances, the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Land Reform chaired by the Deputy President has continued to do further work on the key issues. For example, analyses have been done on experiences and lessons from Ghana to supplement what was learned last year during study tours to Botswana and Uganda. The Inter-Ministerial Committee has continued to oversee work on policy research around the important issue of communal land tenure. We remain committed to hosting the Presidential Summit on Land and it is critical that we resuscitate the initial plans to convene provincial engagements beforehand. He said the institution of traditional leadership must be at the forefront of both land reform and the agrarian revolution. The National House partnered with the Solidarity Fund to implement the Farming Inputs Voucher project, which helped mitigate the impact of the pandemic on traditional farming communities. I have further been advised that the Department of Traditional Affairs and the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development now have a Memorandum of Understanding in support of agricultural projects in rural communities.

The Minister of Heath, Dr Zwelini Mkhize will engage in dialogue with members of the National Press Club on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the first COVID-19 case in South Africa.The virtual event will take place as follows:Date: Thursday,04 March 2020Time: 20h30Platform: ZOOM (media access details will be advised)The briefing will be streamed live on all government online and social media platforms.The webinar will also be streamed live on the SA Government Facebook page, Twitter and YouTube channels on the links below.Facebook: http://facebook.com/GovernmentZA Twitter: http://twitter.com/GovernmentZA YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/GovernmentZA Enquiries:Dr Lwazi Mkhize, Ministerial SpokespersonCell: 0826788979Ms Val Boje, Chairperson of the National Press ClubCell: 0834683462 More on: coronavirus

President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the annual Opening of the National House of Traditional Leaders on Thursday, 04 March 2021.The proceedings of the Opening of the National House of Traditional Leaders will take place in a hybrid format, with select members in attendance at a designated venue in Parliament that meets COVID-19 protocols.The President annually opens the National House of Traditional Leaders following the State of the Nation Address.The 2021 State of the Nation Address outlined four priorities, namely defeating the coronavirus pandemic; accelerating economic recovery; economic reforms to create sustainable jobs and drive inclusive growth, and fighting corruption and strengthening the state.The National House of Traditional Leaders provides a platform for traditional leadership to engage on how the Presidents vision relates to traditional communities and the role traditional leaders can play in contributing to the countrys growth.The National House promotes the role of traditional leadership within a democratic constitutional dispensation. As custodians of culture and heritage, traditional leaders promote the interests of various communities and enhance unity and understanding among traditional communities, in addition to advising national government on issues affecting communities.Subsequent to the opening address, members of the House will on Thursday, 11 March 2021, debate and deliberate on the Presidents address.Members of the media are invited to follow the Opening of the National House of Traditional Leaders on digital platforms as follows:Date: Thursday, 04 March 2021Time: 10h00Venue: Committee Room E249, 2nd Floor, New Wing, ParliamentDebate on the Presidents SpeechDate: Thursday, 11 March 2021Time: 10h00Media enquiries:Tyrone Seale, Acting Spokesperson to the President