By AFP German pharmaceutical giant Merck and a US partner reported promising results Saturday in trials of a drug administered orally to fight Covid-19, saying it helps reduce patients’ viral load. “At a time where there is unmet need for antiviral treatments against SARS-CoV-2, we are encouraged by these preliminary data,” said Wendy Painter, chief medical…
By Grace Kuria Rwanda has vaccinated almost 160,000 citizens, with the second day of the country’s vaccination program recording 83,942 more Rwandans who received their first shot. The country’s Ministry of Health reported that vaccinations continue on Sunday, with the focus being on elderly Rwandans (65 years and older), teachers, Community Health Workers and those with underlying…
By Grace Kuria Ethiopia has received 2.2 million COVID-19 vaccine doses from COVAX. The vaccines landed in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Sunday morning from Serum Institute in Pune, India. World Health Organization (WHO) Ethiopia said this is, “a step towards increasing equal access to vaccines!”While UNICEF said, “this delivery is part of the first wave of arrivals of…
By Grace Kuria South Africa’s seasoned Journalist and broadcaster Karima Brown has on Thursday succumbed to coronavirus. The News of her untimely death was first reported by her employer, eNCA, where Brown anchored the weekly show ‘The Fix’. Brown’s family has released a statement saying she will be laid to rest in a private burial ceremony. “We are…
By XINHUA Rwanda has budgeted 50 billion Rwandan francs (about $51.2 million) to buy COVID-19 vaccines for over 7.8 million people by 2022, Health Minister Daniel Ngamije said on Wednesday. The government will spend at least two-thirds of the total budget, as some vaccines are expected to come in as donations or via COVAX, a mechanism…
By CGTN Africa Kenya’s Ministry of Health on Wednesday confirmed 331 new cases of COVID-19 from 4,725 samples tested, bringing the number of confirmed positive infections to 106,801. The number of samples tested for the diseases had risen to 1,311,326, according to the ministry of health. New data shows that 54 patients recovered from the virus…
By Grace Kuria A study done in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) revealed an unexpectedly large number of people to be “elite controllers” of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). Researchers say members of this group possess something in their immune system which allows them to suppress their HIV infection, without the use of drugs, to the…
By Grace Kuria Rwanda on Wednesday received 240,000 doses of COVAX Covid-19 AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines. “We are pleased to receive these first AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines through the COVAX initiative, and appreciate the partnerships with the UN family, Gavi, funders as well as manufactures that have made it possible,” Minister of Health, Dr. Daniel Ngamije…
By AP Seychelles began vaccinations in January, and by the end of February, about 44% of those vaccinated had gotten a second shot. “We are hoping to achieve herd immunity mid-March when we would have vaccinated 70,000 of our people,” Seychelles President Wavel Ramkalawan told The Associated Press in an interview last week. “That represents 70%…
By XINHUA Zimbabwean schools will reopen in a phased manner after a two-month national lockdown, Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said Tuesday. Speaking during a post-cabinet meeting, Mutsvangwa said that while examination classes are to commence on March 15, other students will resume learning on March 22. He further added that school attendance will be on a…
