Investors remain hopeful for a vaccine as the pandemic worsens

Global update:

• Global cases have surpassed 63.07 million, while the death toll has surpassed 1.46 million; recoveries are at 43.54 million.
• The US now has 13.75 million cases, accounting for 21% of global cases; the death toll is 273,072.
• India has 9.43 million cases and 137,177 deaths; Brazil 6.31 million cases and 172,848 deaths; France 2.21 million cases and 52,325 deaths.
• Hong Kong has shut schools again; South Korea has also tightened restrictions.
• In the US, cases in California rose to a record over the weekend; San Francisco has also been locked down tighter. 
• It seems that the Covid-19 situation is however improving in Russia, Poland and the Czech Republic.
• German Chancellor Angela Merkel has urged ski resorts to close in order to contain the spread of the virus.  Merkel has also requested citizens to do more to avoid the “worst-case scenario” of an overburdened health care system. 
• Investors remain torn between hopes that a vaccine will help curb the spread of the virus and data which shows that the pandemic is worsening. Vaccines are likely to begin being rolled out in the US before the end of December. The UK too is likely to start a vaccination program before Christmas; an independent regulator may grant approval for use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in the coming days.
• As the holiday season approaches, several airlines have tried to reassure travellers that it is safe to fly; these sentiments, however, are being questioned by health experts.

Africa update:

• Africa’s COVID-19 cases remain relatively low, with confirmed cases at 2.17 million; fatalities are at 51,813.
• Morocco has 353,803 reported cases, Nigeria 67,412, Ghana 51,569, Kenya 83,316.
• There have been concerns that COVID-19 vaccines may require storage at ultra-low temperatures.  In addition, logistics challenges may also hinder access to these vaccines in most parts of Africa and other developing regions.
• However, the delivery of the Ebola vaccine shows that the continent has experience in delivering doses that must be kept at low temperatures.

South Africa:

• SA currently has the 16th highest caseload, with 787,702, an increase of 2,563 new cases.
• Covid-19 deaths rose by 38 yesterday, to 21,477.
• Gauteng has the highest number of confirmed cases, at 234,831 (accounting for 29.8% of the total); 5,006 deaths have been reported. 
• The Western Cape has 131,730 (accounting for 16.7% of the total) and 4,629 deaths, while KwaZulu-Natal has 127,670 (accounting for 16.2% of the total) and 3,340 deaths.
• The Eastern Cape has 126,520 cases (accounting for 16.1% of the total) and 4,606 deaths.
• 5.38 million tests have been conducted since 5 March.

Read PDF