<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1110" height="740" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1058079660-scaled-1-1110x740.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-395177" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1058079660-scaled-1-1110x740.jpg 1110w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1058079660-scaled-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1058079660-scaled-1-820x547.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1058079660-scaled-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1058079660-scaled-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1058079660-scaled-1-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1110px) 100vw, 1110px" /></figure>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">Eighteen names are on this year’s list of African billionaires published by Forbes, down from 20 in 2020. Aliko Dangote is the richest person in Africa for the tenth year in a row. No women feature on the list this year.</blockquote>



How did the Covid-19 pandemic affect Africa’s billionaires, or did it at all?



Every year in January, Forbes publishes the list of African billionaires, and this year too, the list, published on Friday, January 23, features gainers and losers, and no newcomers.



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/kerryadolan/2021/01/22/the-forbes-billionaires-list-africas-richest-people-2021/?sh=73b45b1548f5">According to Forbes</a>, the continent has 18 billionaires this year, down from 20 in 2020. Together, they are worth $73.8 billion, slightly more than the $73.4 billion aggregate worth of the 20 billionaires <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2020/02/21/the-forbes-billionaires-list-africas-billionaires-2020/">last year</a>.



Aliko Dangote of Nigeria is the richest person in Africa for the tenth year in a row, worth $12.1 billion. He is richer by $2 billion from last year’s list “thanks to a roughly 30% rise in the share price of Dangote Cement, by far his most valuable asset”.&nbsp;The self-made 63-year-old Lagos-based tycoon founded and chairs Dangote Cement, the African continent&#8217;s largest cement producer.



The biggest gainer this year is another Nigerian cement tycoon, Abdulsamad Rabiu, 60, who is now worth $5.5 billion, up from $3.1 billion last year. In 2019, his net worth was recorded at $1.6 billion.



The only two women billionaires from Africa recorded in previous years’ lists, have both fallen off. They are Folorunsho Alakija and Isabel dos Santos.



Kerry A Dolan of Forbes writes: “Forbes calculates that the fortune of Folorunsho Alakija of Nigeria, who owns an oil exploration company, dropped below $1 billion due to lower oil prices. And Isabel dos Santos, who since 2013 has been the richest woman in Africa, was knocked from her perch by a series of court decisions freezing her assets in both Angola and Portugal. In January 2020, the attorney general of Angola charged Dos Santos with embezzlement and money laundering. The Angolan court claimed that actions taken by Dos Santos, her husband Sindika Dokolo (who died in October 2020, reportedly in a scuba diving accident) and one other associate caused the Angolan government losses of at least $1.14 billion. Forbes now values Dos Santos’ frozen assets at zero. Through a spokesperson, Dos Santos declined to comment.&#8221;



Of Africa’s 54 nations, only seven countries have billionaires.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="594" height="396" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/gettyimages-1140486283-594x594-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-395178" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/gettyimages-1140486283-594x594-1.jpg 594w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/gettyimages-1140486283-594x594-1-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 594px) 100vw, 594px" /><figcaption>Patrice Motsepe</figcaption></figure>



South Africa and Egypt each have five billionaires, followed by Nigeria with three and Morocco with two. South African mining magnate Patrice Motsepe is ranked at No. 9 on the list, with a net worth of $3 billion. Africa’s youngest billionaire, Mohammed Dewji of Tanzania and CEO of MeTL, is at $1.6 billion. Zimbabwe’s self-made billionaire Strive Masiyiwa, who was recently in the news for being appointed to the board of Netflix, has had his telecom fortune grow from $1.1 billion last year to $1.2 billion in 2021.

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The Forbes Billionaires List: Africa’s Billionaires 2021

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="547" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1216921782-820x547.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-395566" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1216921782-820x547.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1216921782-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1216921782-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1216921782-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1216921782-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /></figure>



<a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/category/crypto/">Bitcoin</a>&nbsp;tumbled below $30,000 on Thursday, as the cryptocurrency continued its 2021 slide after quadrupling in value last year.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="792" height="483" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/bitcoin.png" alt="" class="wp-image-395568" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/bitcoin.png 792w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/bitcoin-300x183.png 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/bitcoin-768x468.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 792px) 100vw, 792px" /><figcaption>Bitcoin has lost nearly 30% of its value from its all time high. Chart: Coinbase</figcaption></figure>



The digital currency dropped 17% to $29,246.77, wiping out about $100 billion from the market, according to data from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coindesk.com/price/bitcoin" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CoinDesk</a>. It’s now down more than 30% since peaking at $41,940 earlier this month.





The latest plunge, which comes without any clear reason, underscores the volatility of a currency that’s become a popular investment for day traders in recent years even as it still has limited real-world application. Bitcoin rose over 300% in 2020, closing the year right about where it sits currently.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="531" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1080265094-820x531.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-395567" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1080265094-820x531.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1080265094-300x194.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1080265094-768x498.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1080265094-1536x995.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1080265094-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption>Close up of transparent bitcoin sign standing on a golden digital surface surrounding by wire network.</figcaption></figure>



<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/ETH=?qsearchterm=ethereum">Ether</a>, the digital currency that’s second to Bitcoin in total value, dropped even more on Thursday, declining 22% to $1053.80. It’s now 27% below its high from earlier this week, according to CoinDesk. Ether rose 471% last year.



President&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/joe-biden/">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;picked&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/id/10000430">Gary Gensler</a>, the former chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and an ex-Goldman Sachs baker, to be the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/18/biden-picks-chopra-gensler-for-financial-oversight-roles.html">next chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission</a>. Gensler taught about cryptocurrencies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology,&nbsp;<a href="https://news.mit.edu/2021/gary-gensler-nominated-chair-sec-0119" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">starting in 2018</a>.



Watch: Is bitcoin a massive bubble?

bitcoin on dark background

Bitcoin tumbles below $30,000, extending its plunge to start 2021

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="305" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1212601247-820x305.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-395562" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1212601247-820x305.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1212601247-300x112.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1212601247-768x285.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1212601247-1536x571.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1212601247-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption>Viral Infection Concept</figcaption></figure>



Vaccine skepticism and outright anti-vaccination sentiment have become rife in recent months, with more members of the public questioning not only the efficacy of vaccines, but their development practices, safety standards and their objectives.



The rapid development of coronavirus vaccines over the past year, an urgent task given the devastation to lives and livelihoods being caused by the global pandemic, has made them a prime target for hesitancy and myth.



But disinformation and misinformation that casts doubt over safety and efficacy can endanger lives.



The World Health Organization said vaccine hesitancy was among its top 10 global health threats in 2019. Vaccination, it said, “prevents 2-3 million deaths a year, and a further 1.5 million could be avoided if global coverage of vaccinations improved.”



When it comes to Covid-19 vaccines, experts and public health officials say it’s crucial to combat misinformation (false or inaccurate information) and the more nefarious disinformation (false information intended to mislead people) being spread about inoculations.&nbsp;Here are some of the main myths that are circulating about coronavirus vaccines:



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-myth-covid-19-vaccines-are-unsafe-because-they-were-developed-too-fast">Myth: Covid-19 vaccines are unsafe because they were developed too fast</h2>



Fact:&nbsp;The coronavirus vaccines that are now being deployed have undergone strict and rigorous clinical trials involving thousands of human participants after initial animal trials.



Vaccine makers have insisted that no corners were cut and trial results have proved the vaccines are safe and effective. Before being authorized for use, trial data from the vaccines — such as those made by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/?symbol=PFE">Pfizer</a>&#8211;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/?symbol=BNTX">BioNTech</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/?symbol=MRNA">Moderna</a>&nbsp;and the University of Oxford-<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/?symbol=AZN-GB">AstraZeneca</a>&nbsp;— have undergone strict scrutiny by regulators including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the European Medicines Agency and Britain’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.WATCH NOWVIDEO13:21How the coronavirus vaccine works and why Americans should trust it



In late-stage clinical trials, both&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/11/18/coronavirus-pfizer-vaccine-is-95percent-effective-plans-to-submit-to-fda-in-days.html">the Pfizer-BioNTech</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/11/30/moderna-covid-vaccine-is-94point1percent-effective-plans-to-apply-for-emergency-ok-monday.html">Moderna</a>&nbsp;vaccines were found to be 95% and 94.1% effective, respectively, at preventing severe Covid-19 infection. The vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/11/23/oxford-astrazeneca-covid-vaccine-is-70percent-effective-trial-shows-.html">was found to have an average efficacy of 70%.</a>&nbsp;



When the U.K. in early December became the first country to approve the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, Dr. June Raine, chief executive of the U.K.’s MHRA, said no corners had been cut in its approval, saying experts had worked “round the clock, carefully, methodically poring over tables and analyses and graphs on every single piece of data.” &nbsp;



The MHRA’s scientists and clinicians conducted a “rolling review” of the data as it was made available during clinical trials, hence allowing it to speed up its assessment of the vaccine and whether to authorize it. This was critical, the MHRA said, given the public health emergency.







<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-myth-coronavirus-vaccines-alter-dna">Myth: Coronavirus vaccines alter DNA</h2>



Fact:&nbsp;The coronavirus vaccines developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna contain messenger RNA (or mRNA) which instruct our cells how to make a protein that triggers an immune response. This builds immunity against the virus that causes Covid.



The mRNA (i.e., the instructions) from a Covid vaccine never enters the nucleus of the cell, which is where our DNA is kept, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/mrna.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says</a>.



“This means the mRNA cannot affect or interact with our DNA in any way. Instead, Covid-19 mRNA vaccines work with the body’s natural defenses to safely develop immunity to disease.” In addition, immune cells break down and get rid of the mRNA soon after they have finished using the instructions.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/mrna.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Find out more from the CDC here.</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-myth-coronavirus-vaccines-affect-fertility">Myth: Coronavirus vaccines affect fertility</h2>



Fact:&nbsp;Some women are concerned that the coronavirus vaccine could harm their fertility and there has been a mass of misinformation online regarding this. Indeed, on Tuesday, the U.K.’s Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Royal College of Midwives issued a statement about Covid vaccinations, fertility and pregnancy.



In it, Dr. Edward Morris, president at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: “We want to reassure women that there is no evidence to suggest that Covid-19 vaccines will affect fertility. Claims of any effect of Covid-19 vaccination on fertility&nbsp;are speculative and not supported by any data.”



He continued: “There is​&nbsp;​no biologically plausible mechanism by which current vaccines would cause any impact on women’s fertility.&nbsp;Evidence has not been presented that women who have been vaccinated have gone on to have fertility problems.”







<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-myth-the-vaccine-is-unsafe-for-me-because-i-m-pregnant">Myth: The vaccine is unsafe for me because I’m pregnant</h2>



Fact:&nbsp;There is limited data about the safety of Covid-19 vaccines for people who are pregnant,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/pregnancy.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the CDC says</a>.



Of the data available from animal studies, “no safety concerns were demonstrated in rats that received Moderna COVID-19 vaccine before or during pregnancy;&nbsp;studies of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine are ongoing,” the CDC said.



Studies in people who are pregnant are planned and both vaccine manufacturers are monitoring people in the clinical trials who became pregnant, it added.



In the U.K., where the AstraZeneca and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines are currently being deployed,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-vaccination-women-of-childbearing-age-currently-pregnant-planning-a-pregnancy-or-breastfeeding/covid-19-vaccination-a-guide-for-women-of-childbearing-age-pregnant-planning-a-pregnancy-or-breastfeeding" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the government says</a>&nbsp;that: “the vaccines have not yet been tested in pregnancy, so until more information is available, those who are pregnant should not routinely have this vaccine.”



Nonetheless, the government notes that evidence from nonclinical studies of the Pfizer-BioNTech and University of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines have been reviewed by the WHO and regulators around the world and have “raised no concerns” about safety in pregnancy.



The U.K.’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which advises the government on its vaccination strategy, “has recognized that the potential benefits of vaccination are particularly important for some pregnant women,” including those at very high risk of catching the infection or those with clinical conditions that put them at high risk of suffering serious complications from&nbsp;Covid. In these cases, the government recommends that women discuss possible vaccination with their doctor.







<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-myth-if-you-ve-had-the-vaccine-you-don-t-need-to-wear-a-mask">Myth: If you’ve had the vaccine you don’t need to wear a mask</h2>



Fact:&nbsp;Even if you are immunized against Covid, you could still pass the virus on to others. We still don’t know how vaccinations affect onward transmission and until we do — and while many people remain unvaccinated — people are being urged to follow social-distancing guidelines, wear masks and wash hands to prevent possibly passing the virus on.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-myth-i-don-t-need-the-vaccine-because-i-ve-already-had-covid">Myth: I don’t need the vaccine because I’ve already had Covid</h2>



Fact:&nbsp;While a previous coronavirus infection might provide people with antibodies against reinfection, experts are not yet sure how long this protection lasts. Preliminary results from a U.K-wide study of thousands of health workers found that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/14/covid-infection-provides-around-as-much-immunity-as-vaccines-study.html">people who had been infected with Covid were likely to have some form of immunity for at least five months</a>. However, the data also suggested a small number of people with antibodies may still be able to carry and transmit the virus.







<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-myth-you-can-get-covid-19-from-the-vaccine">Myth: You can get Covid-19 from the vaccine</h2>



Fact: You can’t get Covid from the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna coronavirus vaccines because they do not contain live virus. The University of Oxford’s Vaccine Knowledge Project explains that the active ingredient of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine “is made from a modified adenovirus which causes the common cold in chimpanzees. This virus has been modified so that it cannot cause an infection. It is used to deliver the genetic code for the coronavirus spike protein.”

Virus Background

Here are 7 of the biggest coronavirus vaccine myths busted by experts

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="547" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1036436870-820x547.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-395533" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1036436870-820x547.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1036436870-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1036436870-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1036436870-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1036436870-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption>The logo of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) sits on a document during a news conference following a Monetary Policy Committee meeting in Pretoria, South Africa, on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. The South African economy entered its first recession since 2009 in the second quarter. Photographer: Waldo Swiegers/Bloomberg via Getty Images</figcaption></figure>



The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) kept its benchmark rate unchanged arguing the risks to its inflation outlook remained balanced.



The repo rate remained at 3.5 percent after the bank last year slashed it by 300 basis points to shield the economy from coronavirus imposed lockdowns that shackled economic activity at home and abroad pushed inflation to the lowest in 16 years.



Economists unpack Kganyago’s rate decision &amp; economic outlook for 2021





“Monetary policy eased financial conditions and improved the resilience of households and firms to the economic implications of Covid-19, and continues to be accommodative,” Governor Lesetja Kganyago told a press briefing after a meeting of the bank’s Monetary Policy Committee.



He added that the Bank has also taken important steps to ensure adequate liquidity in domestic markets and that regulatory capital relief has also been provided, sustaining lending by financial institutions to households and firms.



South Africa’s economy is forecast to have contracted by about 8 percent last year after the lockdowns, power shortages and subdued demand for South African exports due to lower global demand.



The majority of economists surveyed by Reuters had forecast a no change stance though some argued the bank could have been more proactive by cutting rates again to stimulate an economy struggling with record unemployment around 40 percent.



First National Bank Chief Economist Mamello Matikinca-Ngwenya said the bank could have taken advantage of lower inflation to cut and stimulate demand amid a tame inflation outlook.



“While the SARB may have decided to keep the repo rate unchanged at 3.5%, we believe there is room for further easing. The current economic shock has kept demand in the economy very low, and as a result, inflation has remained firmly anchored below the midpoint of the target band.”



&nbsp;“High-frequency data shows that while the economy continued to expand into 4Q20, the recovery trend was losing steam. Importantly, these trends emerged before the implementation of level 3 lockdown restrictions in December,” she said.



However Kganyago said monetary policy needs the support of fiscal policy, in particular around the implementation of structural reforms that have been long promised.



“Such steps will enhance the effectiveness of monetary policy and its transmission to the broader economy,” he said.

South African Reserve Bank Rate Announcement Ahead Of Stimulus Plan

South African central bank holds key rate on low inflation

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The COVID-19 crisis has strengthened the role of digitalisation in contributing to Africa’s productive transformation and in fulfilling Agenda 2063, the African Union’s vision for the continent’s development. That’s according to the OECD Development Centre in a joint report with the African Union&#8217;s Commission for Economic Affairs. The OECD notes that the digital transformation is expanding to almost all economic sectors in Africa. So how can Africa take advantage of this digital transformation to jumpstart its post-COVID-19 recovery? Mario Pezzini, Director of the OECD Development Centre joins CNBC Africa for more.

Here’s how digital transformation is shaping Africa’s development agenda

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Oil producer group, OPEC says uncertainty around the oil market remains high with most of the downward risks being related to the coronavirus pandemic. How will the change in administration in the U.S bear impact the dynamics in the oil markets? Emmanuel Odiaka, Managing Director and CEO of ECOB Capital joins CNBC Africa for more.

How the Biden administration impacts dynamics in the oil markets

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The first Monetary Policy Meeting for the year is underway. In a Reuters poll conducted last week, the majority of Economists forecasted that the repo rate would remain unchanged and a small minority predicted a rate cut of 25 basis points. In the last meeting of 2020, rates remained steady, after the Reserve Bank cut rates by 300 basis points during the year. Arthur Kamp, Chief Economist at Sanlam Investments joins CNBC Africa for more.

First MPC meeting of 2021: What will the SARB do?

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A recent spike in COVID-19 cases and deaths saw the government of Rwanda place Kigali City under a total lockdown. Now in efforts to save lives from the rampant virus, the country has acquired a new drug to treat patients in severe conditions. But how far are we from a vaccine? Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, DG at Rwanda Biomedical Center joins CNBC Africa for more.

How Rwanda is preparing for COVID-19 vaccine delivery

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="547" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1230688043-820x547.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-395497" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1230688043-820x547.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1230688043-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1230688043-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1230688043-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1230688043-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption>Health workers wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) prepare to conduct post-landing tests that Angola started to require for travellers from Brazil and Portugal, to stop the new COVID-19 strain, at the Luanda International Airport, in Luanda, on January 20, 2021. (Photo by Osvaldo Silva / AFP) (Photo by OSVALDO SILVA/AFP via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>



NAIROBI, Jan 21 (Reuters) &#8211; Africa&#8217;s coronavirus case fatality rate stands at 2.5%, higher than the global level of 2.2%, a trend that is alarming experts, the head of the continent&#8217;s disease control body said on Thursday.



Earlier in the pandemic, Africa&#8217;s death rate had been below the global average, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) head John Nkengasong told reporters.



&#8220;The case fatality rate is beginning to be very worrying and concerning for all of us,&#8221; he said.



The number of African nations with a death rate higher than the current global average is growing, he added. There are 21 countries on the continent with a death rate of above 3%, including Egypt, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Sudan.



Over the past week, cases decreased by nearly 7% compared to the previous week while deaths increased 10%, according to Africa CDC data. Africa has recorded 3.3 million coronavirus infections and 81,000 deaths as of Thursday, it says.



The continent reported 207,000 new cases in the past week, with South Africa alone reporting 100,000 of those new cases, Nkengasong said. (Reporting by Nairobi newsroom Writing by Maggie Fick; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)



(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Click For Restrictions &#8211; https://agency.reuters.com/en/copyright.html

ANGOLA-HEALTH-VIRUS-TRAVEL

Africa’s COVID-19 death rate now higher than global rate

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="768" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1211759561.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-395299" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1211759561.jpg 1024w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1211759561-300x225.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1211759561-820x615.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1211759561-768x576.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>UKRAINE &#8211; 2020/05/04: In this photo illustration a World Economic Forum logo seen displayed on a smartphone. (Photo Illustration by Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>



For some countries, access to vaccines are increasingly a reality, and millions of vaccines have been purchased with the hope that in time the world’s populations could become COVID-19 immune.



The expectation is that with a vaccine, some aspects of life will return to normal – especially when it comes to travel – which has been particularly hard-hit. This is where a “vaccine passport” or “e-vaccination certification of compliance for border crossing regulations” to enable seamless border-crossing and the harmonization of varying national laws might become a required travel document.



There are important&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/d9eff483-a922-4376-b1d2-042f1dff4e3a" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">questions</a>&nbsp;to be asked, however, around whether vaccinations prevent transmission, the difference between evidence of inoculation and evidence of immunity, and the rights of those people who may be unable to have the vaccine for health or other reasons.



With this in mind, the World Health Organization (WHO) is looking closely into the use of technology in the COVID-19 response, and how it can work with member states toward an e-vaccination certificate. Importantly, the framework will need to be harmonized, when it comes to standards and the use cases for the certificate, by a normative body like the WHO to ensure that it upholds ethical and equitable principles.



There are also separate initiatives among the private sector, such as the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210114005294/en/Broad-Coalition-of-Health-and-Technology-Industry-Leaders-Announce-Vaccination-Credential-Initiative-to-Accelerate-Digital-Access-to-COVID-19-Vaccination-Records" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vaccine Credentials Initiative</a>, which are feeding into this work by offering authentication tools and solutions.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02450-x"><img decoding="async" src="https://assets.weforum.org/editor/cNNkrSfecATDxPqAnkQHLwfZ7jN_fWxat9PygEbVe5g.JPG" alt=""/></a></figure>



Here,&nbsp;Arnaud Bernaert, Head of Shaping the Future of Health and Healthcare at the World Economic Forum, explains why the WHO’s framework must be the global standard and what are the use cases for sharing data around diagnostics and vaccines.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-is-the-idea-of-a-vaccine-passport-entirely-new">Is the idea of a vaccine passport entirely new?</h2>



The concept of a passport to allow for cross border travel is something that we’ve been working on with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weforum.org/projects/commonpass">Common Trust Network</a>&nbsp;for many months. The focus has been first on diagnostics. That’s where we worked with an organization called “The Commons Project” to develop the “Common Trust Framework”. This is a set of registries of trusted data sources, a registry of labs accredited to run tests and a registry of up-to-date border crossing regulations.



The set of registries can be used to generate certificates of compliance to prevailing border-crossing regulations as defined by governments. There are different tools to generate the certificates, and the diversity of their authentication solutions and the way they protect data privacy is quite remarkable.



We at the Forum have no preference when it comes to who is running the certification algorithm, we simply want to promote a unique set of registries to avoid unnecessary replication efforts. This is where we support the Common Trust Framework.



For instance, the Common Pass is one authentication solution – but there are others, for example developed by Abbott, AOK, SICPA (Certus), IBM and others.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-does-the-system-work-and-how-could-it-be-applied-to-vaccines">How does the system work and how could it be applied to vaccines?</h2>



The Common Trust Network, supported by the Forum, is combining the set of registries that are going to enrol all participating labs. Separately from that, it provides an up-to-date database of all prevailing border entry rules (which fluctuate and differ from country to country).



Combining these two datasets provides a QR code that border entry authorities can trust. It doesn’t reveal any personal health data – it tells you about compliance of results versus border entry requirements for a particular country. So, if your border control rules say that you need to take a test of a certain nature within 72 hours prior to arrival, the tool will confirm whether the traveller has taken that corresponding test in a trusted laboratory, and the test was indeed performed less than three days prior to landing.



The purpose is to create a common good that many authentication providers can use and to provide anyone, in a very agnostic fashion, with access to those registries.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-the-who-s-role">What is the WHO’s role?</h2>



There is currently an effort at the WHO to create standards that would process data on the types of vaccinations, how these are channelled into health and healthcare systems registries, the use cases – beyond the management of vaccination campaigns – include border control but also possibly in the future access to stadia or large events. By establishing in a truly ethical fashion harmonized standards, we can avoid a scenario whereby you create two classes of citizens – those who have been vaccinated and those who have not.



So rather than building a set of rules that would be left to the interpretation of member states or private-sector operators like cruises, airlines or conveners of gatherings, we support the WHO’s effort to create a standard for member states for requesting vaccinations and how it would permit the various kinds of use cases.



It is important that we rely on the normative body (the WHO) to create the vaccine credential requirements. The Forum is involved in the WHO taskforce to reflect on those standards and think about how they would be used. The WHO’s goal is to deploy standards and recommendations by mid-March 2021, and the hope is that they will be more harmonized between member states than they have been to date in the field of diagnostics.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://assets.weforum.org/editor/NII-BtVHEiSGk03O2WFIYSOlZvG8-NRCaZI9WgXFMbI.jpg" alt=""/></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-about-the-private-sector-and-separate-initiatives">What about the private sector and separate initiatives?</h2>



When registry frameworks are being developed for authentication tools providers, they should at a minimum feed as experiments into the standardization efforts being driven by WHO, knowing that the final guidance from the only normative body with an official UN mandate may in turn force those providers to revise their own frameworks. We certainly support this type of interaction, as public- and private-sector collaboration is key to overcoming the global challenge posed by COVID-19.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-more-needs-to-be-done-to-ensure-equitable-distribution-of-vaccines">What more needs to be done to ensure equitable distribution of vaccines?</h2>



As the WHO has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-who/world-is-on-the-brink-of-a-catastrophic-moral-failure-on-vaccines-who-chief-idUSZ8N2HS00V" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">warned</a>, vaccine nationalism – or a hoarding and “me-first” approach to vaccine deployment – risks leaving “the world’s poorest and most vulnerable at risk.”



COVAX, supported by the World Economic Forum, is coordinated by the World Health Organization in partnership with GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance; CEPI, the Centre for Epidemics Preparedness Innovations and others. So far,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/18-12-2020-covax-announces-additional-deals-to-access-promising-covid-19-vaccine-candidates-plans-global-rollout-starting-q1-2021" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">190 economies</a>&nbsp;have signed up.



The Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (<a href="https://www.who.int/initiatives/act-accelerator" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ACT-Accelerator</a>) is another partnership, with universal access and equity at its core, that has been successfully promoting global collaboration to accelerate the development, production and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines. The World Economic Forum is a member of the ACT-Accelerator’s Facilitation Council (governing body).

In this photo illustration a World Economic Forum logo seen

What is a ‘vaccine passport’ and will you need one the next time you travel?

By Nancy Lapid
Jan 20 (Reuters) &#8211; The following is a roundup of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus.
South African variant may resist current antibody treatments
The variant of the new coronavirus identified in South Africa can resist, or &#8220;escape,&#8221; antibodies that neutralize earlier versions of the virus, scientists have found. It &#8220;exhibits complete escape&#8221; from three classes of monoclonal antibodies manufactured for treating COVID-19 patients, and it shows &#8220;substantial or complete&#8221; resistance to neutralizing antibodies in blood donated by COVID-19 survivors, the scientists reported on Tuesday on bioRxiv ahead of peer review. Similarities between the South Africa variant and another variant identified in Brazil suggest the Brazilian variant will show similar resistance, they added. Liam Smeeth of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who was not involved in the study, noted that these were laboratory tests, and it would be unwise to extrapolate the findings to humans at this point. &#8220;The data do raise the possibility that the protection gained from past infection with COVID-19 may be lower for re-infection with the South African variant,&#8221; he said. &#8220;The data also suggest that the existing vaccines could be less effective against the South African variant.&#8221; He called for large studies among populations where the variant is common. (https://bit.ly/3sLeIgP)

Pfizer/BioNTech shot likely protects against UK variant
The COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE is likely to protect against the more infectious variant of the virus discovered in Britain and now spreading around the world, according to laboratory tests. Researchers took blood samples from 16 people who had received the vaccine and exposed the blood to a synthetic virus, or pseudovirus, that was engineered to have 10 mutations found in the UK variant. The antibodies that had developed in response to the vaccine effectively neutralized the pseudovirus, according to a report posted on Tuesday on bioRxiv ahead of peer review. &#8220;This makes it very unlikely that the UK variant will escape from the protection provided by the vaccine,&#8221; said Jonathan Stoye, a virus scientist at Britain&#8217;s Francis Crick Institute who was not involved in the research. Similar experiments are needed with the more concerning variant first found in South Africa, he suggested. AstraZeneca Plc, Moderna Inc and CureVac NV are also testing whether their respective vaccines will protect against the fast-spreading variants. (https://bit.ly/35X6Wa4; https://reut.rs/3p1TCZz)
Immune system will remember how to make COVID-19 antibodies
People who have recovered from COVID-19 can likely mount a fast and effective response to the virus if they encounter it again because their immune system&#8217;s &#8220;B cells&#8221; will remember how to make the antibodies needed to fight it, a new study shows. Researchers tracked 87 COVID-19 survivors for six months and found that while levels of antibodies to the virus may decline over time, the number of memory B cells remains unchanged. The antibodies produced by these cells are more potent than the patients&#8217; original antibodies and may be more resistant to mutations in the spike protein the virus uses to break into cells, they said. For example, they found, the antibodies could recognize and neutralize at least one of the mutations in the South African variant of the virus that has caused concern among health experts. Even if antibody levels fall, B cells will remember how to make them when necessary, according to study leader Michel Nussenzweig of Rockefeller University, whose findings were reported on Monday in Nature. If this is true at six months, as in this study, it is safe to assume it is probably still true for longer periods, he added. People who have recovered from COVID-19 &#8220;may become infected but the immune system will be prepped to fight off the infection,&#8221; Nussenzweig said. (https://go.nature.com/3nWtwWo)
Mortality higher when ICUs are packed with COVID-19 patients
The more full an intensive care unit (ICU) is with COVID-19 patients, the higher the mortality rate among those patients, new data suggest. When researchers tracked outcomes of 8,515 COVID-19 patients admitted to 88 U.S. Veterans Affairs hospitals in 2020, they found that survival rates improved between March and August. Throughout the study period, however, the risk of death was nearly double when at least 75% of ICU beds were filled with COVID-19 patients, compared to when they accounted for no more than 25% of ICU beds. COVID-19 mortality &#8220;increases during periods of peak demand,&#8221; said Dr. Dawn Bravata of the Richard L Roudebush VA Medical Center in Indianapolis who co-led the study published on Tuesday in JAMA Network Open. &#8220;The more the public can do to avoid infections, the better,&#8221; she added. In addition, Bravata said, &#8220;facilities within a healthcare system or within a geographic region should collaborate to triage critically ill patients with COVID-19 to sites with greater ICU capacity to reduce strain on any one facility.&#8221; (https://bit.ly/3oYfWDa; https://bit.ly/35VHpOk)

Open https://tmsnrt.rs/3a5EyDh in an external browser for a Reuters graphic on vaccines and treatments in development.
(Reporting by Nancy Lapid, Linda Carroll, Kate Kelland and Ludwig Burger; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Click For Restrictions &#8211; https://agency.reuters.com/en/copyright.html
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S. African virus variant may resist antibody drugs; Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine seems to work vs UK variant

ABIDJAN, Jan 20 (Reuters) &#8211; Ivory Coast has appointed Alex Assanvo, a corporate director at chocolate maker Mars Wrigley , as the pioneer executive of a West African body aimed at coordinating the actions the world&#8217;s two top cocoa producers.
Ivory Coast and Ghana, who together account for over 60% of global output of cocoa, the main ingredient in chocolate, created the Ivory Coast and Ghana Cocoa Initiative in August to harmonise their actions as they try to exert more influence in the sector.
As part of the plan, the countries agreed in 2019 to introduce $400 a tonne Living Income Differential scheme this season to increase farmer income.
Assanvo, 48, who was director corporate affairs for Europe and Africa at Mars, will be based at the Initiative&#8217;s headquarters in Ghana. (Reporting by Ange Aboa Writing by Bate Felix Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Click For Restrictions &#8211; https://agency.reuters.com/en/copyright.html
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Ivory Coast appoints Mars executive to lead cocoa initiative

ABIDJAN, Jan 20 (Reuters) &#8211; Ivory Coast&#8217;s government said it will receive a first batch of around 100,000 doses of the Pfizer BioNTech coronavirus vaccine in mid February, around two weeks later than initially planned, due to delays in availability of the shots.
Government spokesman Sidi Tiemoko Toure said on Wednesday the country plans to roll out its inoculation programme in the first quarter and would authorise vaccines from AstraZeneca , China&#8217;s Sinopharm and Russia this week.
While richer nations have secured and launched mass vaccination campaigns, countries in Africa are still scrambling to secure supplies as most grapple with a second wave of infections.
&#8220;The first deliveries of the Pfizer vaccine of around 100,000 doses initially scheduled for the end of January 2021, have been postponed to mid February due to delays in the availability of vaccines,&#8221; Toure said.
Countries in sub-Saharan Africa, some among the world&#8217;s poorest, are relying on the World Health Organization-backed global COVAX scheme which has secured nearly 2 billion doses, and aims to deliver 1.3 billion of these in 2021 to 92 eligible low- and middle-income nations.
Toure said the 100,000 doses Ivory Coast secured are separate from the COVAX alliance scheme. The government has previously said frontline health workers and the vulnerable section of the population would be first to be vaccinated.
More than 3.3 million COVID-19 cases and over 80,000 deaths have been recorded on the continent to date, according to a Reuters tally. (Reporting by Ange Aboa Writing by Bate Felix Editing by Alexandra Hudson)
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Click For Restrictions &#8211; https://agency.reuters.com/en/copyright.html
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Ivory Coast says delivery of its first doses of Pfizer vaccine delayed to mid-Feb

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1110" height="740" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1131125549-1-1110x740.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-395422" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1131125549-1-1110x740.jpg 1110w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1131125549-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1131125549-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1131125549-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GettyImages-1131125549-1-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1110px) 100vw, 1110px" /><figcaption>oMalayitsha (transporters) Charles and his colleagues buy groceries for family which will be transported across the border to Zimbabwe on February 20, 2019. &#8211; Items are loaded in Johannesburg onto trailers attached to minibuses which make the 550 kilometres (340 miles) journey north to the border of Zimbabwe, where economic situation has dramatically deteriorated, pushing inflation above 50 percent, and shortages of household essentials have become widespread. (Photo by GULSHAN KHAN / AFP) (Photo credit should read GULSHAN KHAN/AFP via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>



South Africa’s annual average consumer inflation&nbsp;slumped to a 16-year low in 2020 as a government shutdown of the economy to stop the spread of the coronavirus extended a six-month recession.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Statistics South Africa said&nbsp;the consumer price index (CPI)&nbsp;averaged 3.3 percent,&nbsp;the&nbsp;lowest&nbsp;annual average rate since 2004,&nbsp;and the second lowest since 1969, dampened by a strong rand&nbsp;and&nbsp;subdued economic activity.&nbsp;



For December,&nbsp;annual inflation&nbsp;came in at 3.3 percent,&nbsp;slightly lower&nbsp;than November’s reading of 3.2 percent.&nbsp;The monthly increase&nbsp;was&nbsp;0.2 percent, up from zero&nbsp;in November, mainly as a result of&nbsp;food and non-alcoholic beverages with&nbsp;monthly increases&nbsp;of&nbsp;6 percent and 0.5 percent respectively.&nbsp;



CPI has remained within the South&nbsp;African&nbsp;Reserve Bank’s 3%-6% target band since July.&nbsp;



The outbreak of Covid-19 forced many governments to shatter economies and close borders as authorities sought to stop&nbsp;its spread following the discovery of the first cases in Wuhan, China. A second wave of infections in December forced President Cyril&nbsp;Ramaphosa&nbsp;to re-impose some restrictions.&nbsp;



Economists are forecasting a contraction of about eight percent in gross domestic product for Africa’s second largest economy and a rebound this year.



But they warn that recovery is now being threatened by continued lockdowns and worsening power shortages.&nbsp;

SAFRICA-ZIMBABWE-ECONOMY-TRADE

South Africa’s consumer inflation neared a 50-year low in 2020

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The African Development Bank today hosted the Africa Investment Conference. This brought United Kingdom and African businesses together, to discuss investment and partnership opportunities. This comes at an interesting time, amid the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area. Joining CNBC Africa for more is Wale Shonibare, Director for Energy Financial Solutions, Policy &#038; Regulation at the African Development Bank.

UK-Africa Investment Conference seeks to strengthen business ties

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As schools in Nigeria resume this week, the Nigerian Union of Teachers plan to meet on Thursday to discuss concerns around compliance with the coronavirus protocols. The Head of RiverBank School, Regina Jemide, joins CNBC Africa for more.

How Nigerian schools are ensuring strict compliance with COVID-19 protocols

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Yoweri Museveni, one of the world&#8217;s longest-serving leaders, is heading towards four decades in power after winning a sixth term. Museveni secured 58,6 per cent of the total votes in an election that his challengers called a fraud. CNBC Africa is joined by Ruth Adong, Journalist for more.

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What is a ‘vaccine passport’ and will you need one the next time you travel?

S. African virus variant may resist antibody drugs; Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine seems to work vs UK variant

Ivory Coast appoints Mars executive to lead cocoa initiative

Ivory Coast says delivery of its first doses of Pfizer vaccine delayed to mid-Feb

South Africa’s consumer inflation neared a 50-year low in 2020

UK-Africa Investment Conference seeks to strengthen business ties

How Nigerian schools are ensuring strict compliance with COVID-19 protocols

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Newsletter

The Forbes Billionaires List: Africa’s Billionaires 2021

Bitcoin tumbles below $30,000, extending its plunge to start 2021

Here are 7 of the biggest coronavirus vaccine myths busted by experts

South African central bank holds key rate on low inflation

Here’s how digital transformation is shaping Africa’s development agenda

How the Biden administration impacts dynamics in the oil markets

First MPC meeting of 2021: What will the SARB do?

How Rwanda is preparing for COVID-19 vaccine delivery

Africa’s COVID-19 death rate now higher than global rate

What is a ‘vaccine passport’ and will you need one the next time you travel?

S. African virus variant may resist antibody drugs; Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine seems to work vs UK variant

Ivory Coast appoints Mars executive to lead cocoa initiative

Ivory Coast says delivery of its first doses of Pfizer vaccine delayed to mid-Feb

South Africa’s consumer inflation neared a 50-year low in 2020

UK-Africa Investment Conference seeks to strengthen business ties

How Nigerian schools are ensuring strict compliance with COVID-19 protocols

Ugandan opposition to challenge presidential election results

News Tips

Advertise With Us

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