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The markets have been filled with festive cheer so far this year. Many investors are feeling upbeat, motivated by hopes of more economic stimulus and the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines.

2021 should be a year of implementation for SA, says economist

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="416" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/106821138-1610081333688-gettyimages-1230473469-20090101210108-99-939413.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-394615" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/106821138-1610081333688-gettyimages-1230473469-20090101210108-99-939413.jpeg 740w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/106821138-1610081333688-gettyimages-1230473469-20090101210108-99-939413-300x169.jpeg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><figcaption>A doctor holds an ampoule of the Corona vaccine from Biontech and Pfizer between his fingers in the pharmacy of the University Hospital Tübingen (UKT).
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LONDON — A coronavirus vaccine developed by <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/?symbol=PFE">Pfizer</a> and <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/?symbol=BNTX">BioNTech</a> appears to be effective against a key mutation in the more infectious variants of the virus discovered in the U.K. and South Africa, according to a study conducted by the U.S. pharmaceutical giant.



It comes as countries scramble to contain the variants that are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/07/coronavirus-who-warns-of-tipping-point-in-covid-pandemic.html">significantly more transmissible</a>, with public health experts anxious about the potential impact on inoculation efforts.



The research, published Thursday on preprint server&nbsp;<a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.07.425740v1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bioRxiv</a>&nbsp;and not yet peer-reviewed, suggested the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine worked to neutralize the so-called N501Y mutation.



The N501Y mutation has been reported in the more infectious variants. It is altering an amino acid within six key residues in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/06/south-africa-covid-strain-a-guide-to-what-you-need-to-know.html">receptor-binding domain</a>&nbsp;— a key part of the spike protein that the virus uses to gain entry into cells within the body.



“These findings are good news for the likely effectiveness of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine against these new variants of SARS-CoV-2,” said Dr. Michael Baker, an epidemiologist at the University of Otago in Wellington, New Zealand.



“In other words, the Pfizer vaccine is likely to induce immunity that covers the two new more infectious variants originating in England and South Africa,” he added.



Pfizer and researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch conducted the study on blood taken from people who had been given the Covid-19 vaccine.



The findings are limited, however, because the study does not look at the full set of mutations found in either of the new rapidly spreading variants.



“Pfizer and BioNTech have tested sera from people immunized with the BNT162b2 vaccine for its ability to neutralize multiple mutant strains,” a Pfizer spokesperson told CNBC via email on Friday, referring to the official name of the Covid vaccine.



“To date, we have found consistent coverage of all the strains tested. The two companies are now generating data on how well sera from people immunized with BNT162b2, may be able to neutralize new strains.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-we-urgently-need-data">‘We urgently need data’</h2>



Researchers hope to have more data on whether the vaccines work against other mutations found in the U.K. and South Africa variants in the coming weeks, Reuters reported.



“It’s important to note that the study does not actually examine these variants directly but only focuses on one single mutation in these variants (the 501Y mutation),” Dr. Deepti Gurdasani, clinical epidemiologist at Queen Mary University of London, told CNBC via email on Friday.



“So, while it’s reassuring that one mutation within these variants is not associated with escape from vaccines, at least in the laboratory, we urgently need data on these mutations, and preferably on the variant virus with a combination of mutations, as these may act differently in combination.”



The World Health Organization said last month that health authorities were “urgently investigating” whether the N501Y mutation may have any impact on vaccine performance.



Of particular concern is the variant of the virus that emerged in South Africa. That’s because this variant carries two other mutations in the spike protein (E484K and K417N, among others) which are not present in the U.K. strain, named “VOC-202012/01,” with VOC standing for “Variant of Concern.”



Gurdasani said the E484K mutation was “particularly concerning” because it had been associated with significantly reduced neutralization by antibodies in the laboratory.



To date, more than 88.1 million people have contracted the coronavirus worldwide, with 1.9 million deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.



— CNBC’s Holly Ellyatt contributed to this report.

A doctor holds an ampoule of the Corona vaccine from Biontech and Pfizer between his fingers in the pharmacy of the University Hospital Tübingen (UKT).

Pfizer vaccine appears to neutralize a key mutation of Covid variants found in UK, South Africa

* Dwarfs were about half the average giraffe height
* With long necks but stumpy legs, they&#8217;ll struggle to mate
* Giraffe numbers have tumbled by 40% in past 30 years
By Tim Cocks
JOHANNESBURG, Jan 8 (Reuters) &#8211; Being tall is the giraffe&#8217;s competitive advantage, giving it the pick of leaves from the tallest trees, so scientists were stunned to find two giraffe dwarves on different sides of Africa.
&#8220;It&#8217;s fascinating what our researchers out in the field found,&#8221; Julian Fennessy, co-founder of the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, told Reuters in a videocall on Friday. &#8220;We were very surprised.&#8221;
Most giraffes grow to 15 &#8211; 20 feet (4.5 &#8211; 6 metres), but in 2018, scientists working with the foundation discovered an 8 1/2-foot (2.6 metre) giraffe in Namibia. Three years earlier, they had also found a 9-foot 3-inch (2.8 metre) giraffe in a Ugandan wildlife park.
They published their findings in the British Medical Journal at the end of last month.
In both cases, the giraffes had the standard long necks but short, stumpy legs, the paper said. Skeletal dysplasia, the medical name for the condition, affects humans and domesticated animals, but the paper said it was rare to see in wild animals.
Footage taken by the foundation showed the Ugandan giraffe standing on thick, muscled legs in the dry savanna of Murchison Falls national park in northern Uganda, while a taller animal with the usual long, stick-like legs walked behind it.
&#8220;Unfortunately there&#8217;s probably no benefit at all. Giraffes have grown taller to reach the taller trees,&#8221; Fennessy said. He added that it would most likely be physically impossible for them to breed with their normal-sized counterparts.
Numbers of the world&#8217;s tallest mammal have declined by some 40% over the past 30 years to around 111,000, so all four species are classified by conservationists as &#8216;vulnerable&#8217;.
&#8220;It&#8217;s because of mostly habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, growing human populations, more land being cultivated,&#8221; Fennessy said. &#8220;Combined with a little bit of poaching, climate change&#8221;.
But conservation efforts have helped numbers start to recover in the past decade, he added.
(Editing by Gareth Jones)
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Scientists surprised to discover two dwarf giraffes in Namibia, Uganda

JOHANNESBURG, Jan 8 (Reuters) &#8211; The South African Breweries (SAB) has suspended commitments to retain workers and investments, agreed as part of its merger with Anheuser-Busch InBev, due to the country&#8217;s decision to ban alcohol sales to curb the coronavirus, it revealed in court papers.
South Africa banned alcohol sales late last month as part of tighter restrictions to rein in the spread of COVID-19.
SAB has told the South African government that &#8220;its obligations have been suspended with effect from the date of the impugned regulations,&#8221; the company said in court papers filed on Wednesday and seen by Reuters on Friday.
The conditions of the $106 billion merger require SAB to maintain an aggregate headcount of 5,967 workers in South Africa and that AB InBev make a 1 billion rand ($65.62 million)investment in the country in five equal instalments of 200 million rand over a period of five years from the merger agreement.
The maker of Carling Black Label, now a unit of AB InBev, is challenging the government&#8217;s decision to re-impose a third alcohol ban as unlawful.
In a process that started in May, SAB submitted a proposal to the Competition Commission to amend its merger conditions by way of an application to the Competition Tribunal, which makes the final ruling on mergers, Richard Rivett-Carnac, a director of SAB said in the affidavit.
&#8220;This risk (of non-compliance with merger conditions) has arisen as a consequence of the impugned provisions, which have completely banned the sale of alcohol products,&#8221; Rivett-Carnac said.
The commission was not immediately available for comment.
The South African alcohol industry has been among the hardest hit by restrictions and three bans on alcohol sales, meant to free up space in hospitals burdened by avoidable alcohol-related injuries.
SAB, which has annual brewing capacity of 3.1 billion litres, said more than 165,000 people in South Africa had lost their jobs and by Aug. 3 last year it had lost 12 weeks of trade.
($1 = 15.2386 rand) (Reporting by Nqobile Dludla Editing by Tim Cocks and Susan Fenton)
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AB InBev’s S.African brewer suspends commitments on jobs, investment

ACCRA, Jan 8 (Reuters) &#8211; Ghana has taken delivery of sub-Saharan Africa&#8217;s first offshore receiving terminal for liquefied natural gas (LNG), allowing it to start delivering LNG to customers in the first quarter of this year, the terminal&#8217;s operator said.
Tema LNG, which is backed by UK-based Helios Investment Partners, said in a statement that a floating regasification unit (FRU) built by a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation arrived in Ghana on Thursday.
Shell will supply the LNG under a long-term contract, and the gas will be delivered to customers of Ghana&#8217;s public utility service, it said.
&#8220;Once operational, this FRU will allow the Tema LNG facility to receive, re-gasify, store and deliver roughly 1.7 million tonnes of LNG a year – 30% of Ghana&#8217;s general capacity,&#8221; said project manager Edmund Agyeman-Duah in a statement.
Ghana tried to get an LNG import project off the ground for years, but two leading operators, Golar and Hoegh , withdrew due to delays over contracts.
Even as trade in LNG grows around the world, offering environmental benefits over other fossil fuels, Africa is not expected to become a large importer due to its vast gas deposits, much of which are yet to be commercially developed.
Ghana, West Africa&#8217;s second-largest economy and a major producer of gold and cocoa, suffers from an unreliable supply of electricity.
&#8220;As evidenced in similar fast growing economies in Asia and Latin America, the introduction of LNG into the energy mix serves as a catalyst for industrial and economic growth,&#8221; said Ogbemi Ofuya of Helios Investment Partners. (Reporting by Christian Akorlie; Writing by Aaron Ross; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
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Ghana receives offshore LNG terminal in first for sub-Saharan Africa

JOHANNESBURG, Jan 8 (Reuters) &#8211; South Africa&#8217;s rand firmed on Friday, as investors found some comfort in news that the country has secured COVID-19 vaccines for healthcare workers and that the rollout should start sooner than anticipated after criticism of delays.



At 0712 GMT, the rand was trading at 15.3800 against the dollar, 0.49% firmer from an overnight close of 15.4550.



Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said on Thursday the government would receive 1.5 million doses of AstraZeneca&#8217;s shot from the Serum Institute of India (SII), spread over January and February.



Health workers have voiced concern that the authorities have not acted fast enough to secure enough vaccines.



Analysts at NKC African Economics said the announcement was &#8220;welcoming news&#8221; at a time when COVID-19 cases within the country hit a record 21,832 on Wednesday and over 20,000 in the last 24 hours.



Government bonds were little changed, with the yield on the benchmark 2030 bond up 1 basis point at 8.810%.



In the equities markets, stocks also firmed, with Aspen Pharmacare, which is producing the Johnson &amp; Johnson COVID-19 vaccines in South Africa, leading the rally.



Aspen climbed 3.34% at 0724 GMT after a senior company executive told Reuters on Thursday that the country&#8217;s biggest pharmaceutical firm could start production of the J&amp;J vaccines by late March or early April if all approvals are in place.



The health ministry&#8217;s announcement that negotiations on sourcing a vaccine are at an advanced stage with J&amp;J, also boosted gains at Aspen.



The Johannesburg All-Share index rose 0.76%, while the Top-40 index climbed 0.77% (Reporting by Nqobile Dludla; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)



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106819656-1609928400136-gettyimages-1285458686-dsc_5580

South Africa’s rand firms as country secures COVID-19 vaccines

By Michael Erman
NEW YORK, Jan 7 (Reuters) &#8211; Pfizer Inc and BioNTech&#8217;s COVID-19 vaccine appeared to work against a key mutation in the highly transmissible new variants of the coronavirus discovered in the UK and South Africa, according to a laboratory study conducted by the U.S. drugmaker.
The not-yet peer reviewed study by Pfizer and scientists from the University of Texas Medical Branch indicated the vaccine was effective in neutralizing virus with the so-called N501Y mutation of the spike protein.
The mutation could be responsible for greater transmissibility and there had been concern it could also make the virus escape antibody neutralization elicited by the vaccine, said Phil Dormitzer, one of Pfizer&#8217;s top viral vaccine scientists.
The study was conducted on blood taken from people who had been given the vaccine. Its findings are limited, because it does not look at the full set of mutations found in either of the new variants of the rapidly spreading virus.
Dormitzer said it was encouraging that the vaccine appears effective against the mutation, as well as 15 other mutations the company has previously tested against.
&#8220;So we&#8217;ve now tested 16 different mutations, and none of them have really had any significant impact. That&#8217;s the good news,&#8221; he said. &#8220;That doesn&#8217;t mean that the 17th won&#8217;t.&#8221;
Dormitzer noted another mutation found in the South African variant, called the E484K mutation, is also concerning.
The researchers plan to run similar tests to see if the vaccine is effective against other mutations found in the UK and South African variants and hope to have more data within weeks.
Scientists have expressed concern that vaccines being rolled out may not be able to protect against the new variants, particularly the one that emerged in South Africa.
Simon Clarke, an associate professor in cellular microbiology at the University of Reading, said this week that while both variants had some new features in common, the one found in South Africa &#8220;has a number additional mutations&#8221; that included more extensive alterations to the spike protein.
The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and the one from Moderna Inc , which use synthetic messenger RNA technology, can be quickly tweaked to address new mutations of a virus if necessary. Scientists have suggested the changes could be made in as little as six weeks. (Reporting by Michael Erman; Editing by Bill Berkrot and Edwina Gibbs)
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Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine appears effective against mutation in new coronavirus variants -study

Is this Tesla’s biggest rival? | CNBC Explains

Jan 7 (Reuters) &#8211; The United Kingdom said on Thursday it would extend a ban on travelers entering England to southern African countries in a measure to prevent the spread of a new COVID-19 variant identified in South Africa.
The restriction will go into effect on Saturday and remain in place for two weeks, the government said in a statement https://bit.ly/3pTvmsk.
Entry will be barred for those who have travelled from or through any southern African country in the last 10 days, including Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Eswatini, Zambia, Malawi, Lesotho, Mozambique and Angola, as well as Seychelles and Mauritius. (Reporting by Anirudh Saligrama in Bengalurul Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
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UK extends England entry ban to travelers from 11 African countries for COVID variant

By Kim Harrisberg
JOHANNESBURG, Jan 7 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) &#8211; Plans to photograph and fingerprint every baby born in South Africa for a digital register could lead to data leaks and identity theft without robust safeguards, rights experts said on Thursday.
The Department of Home Affairs&#8217; new draft policy aims to capture detailed biometrics &#8211; unique physical traits &#8211; of every child born in South Africa and link this data to parents&#8217; identity numbers, which are printed on all ID documents.
The government hopes the new registration system will prevent corrupt officials selling birth certificates to foreigners to illegally secure South African citizenship and protect children who otherwise risk going undocumented.
About one in 10 of some 1 million babies born in South Africa each year are not registered at birth, government data shows. Without birth certificates, they risk exclusion from school and health care and denial of citizenship.
Under the proposed policy, all children &#8211; including those whose parents are migrants or stateless, meaning no country recognises them as citizens &#8211; will receive a digital number, although this does not translate to automatic citizenship.
&#8220;Governments need to have digital registers of their population to deliver services,&#8221; said Joseph Atick, executive chairman of ID4Africa, a charity that promotes digital identification &#8211; or online identity records &#8211; across Africa.
&#8220;(But) the threat to privacy is real. That is why we promote the development of data protection and privacy laws and frameworks before embracing digital identity,&#8221; Atick told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in emailed comments.
The Department of Home Affairs did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
South Africa passed the Protection of Personal Information Act in 2013, which aims to protect private data held by government, businesses and individuals from security breaches, theft and misuse, but key elements have yet to be enacted.
The country has been hit repeatedly by cyber criminals.
The city of Johannesburg had to shut down its website and online services in 2019 after its network was breached by hackers who threatened to upload all its private data online unless the government paid a ransom.

ABUSE
About 1 billion people globally lack identity proofs, which are often vital to access welfare payments, open businesses, obtain mobile phone lines and vote, according to the World Bank, which is backing efforts to roll out digital IDs worldwide.
Advanced biometric systems are already in use in countries such as India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, linking fingerprints and iris scans to a unique identity number.
India&#8217;s system &#8211; the world&#8217;s largest &#8211; has come under fire for excluding about 100 million vulnerable people, many of whom are homeless or transgender and have been denied essential services, according to a 2019 study by consulting firm Dalberg.
&#8220;Digital identity systems are complex and there needs to be significant &#8230; oversight to ensure that any system that is implemented is not subject to abuse,&#8221; said Avani Singh, director of ALT Advisory, a data privacy law firm.
&#8220;As members of the public increasingly &#8211; and rightfully &#8211; demand agency over their personal information, we need to ensure that any digital identity system is robust, secure, trustworthy, lawful and inclusive.&#8221;
Currently, South Africans apply for a digital ID number at the age of 16, and their photos and fingerprints are taken.
The draft identity management policy seeks to capture more biometric data, such as photos of eyes, hands, feet and ears &#8211; and possibly DNA collection in the future &#8211; to ensure no one lives without &#8220;a legal record of existence&#8221;.
The policy is open for public comment until Feb. 28, after which it will be drafted into a bill.
Murray Hunter, a South African digital rights activist who authored &#8220;Boris the BabyBot&#8221;, a children&#8217;s book about surveillance, was sceptical that biometrics can solve identity management issues.
&#8220;Can it truly be that the only solution (to identity theft) is not to root out corrupt officials, but to create massive databases of every child&#8217;s face, fingerprints and other biometric info?&#8221; he asked. (Reporting by Kim Harrisberg @KimHarrisberg; Editing by Katy Migiro. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers the lives of people around the world who struggle to live freely or fairly. Visit http://news.trust.org)
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S. Africa’s plan to record all babies’ biometrics raises privacy fears

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="594" height="410" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/gettyimages-1155740300-594x594.jpg" alt="Billionaire Elon Musk: I am not Warren Buffett’s biggest fan" class="wp-image-351991" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/gettyimages-1155740300-594x594.jpg 594w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/gettyimages-1155740300-594x594-300x207.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/gettyimages-1155740300-594x594-100x70.jpg 100w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/gettyimages-1155740300-594x594-218x150.jpg 218w" sizes="(max-width: 594px) 100vw, 594px" /><figcaption>Billionaire Elon Musk: I am not Warren Buffett’s biggest fan (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for E3/Entertainment Software Association)</figcaption></figure>



<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/elon-musk/">Elon Musk</a> just became the richest person in the world, with a net worth of more than $185 billion.



Thursday’s increase in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/?symbol=TSLA">Tesla’s</a>&nbsp;share price pushed Musk past&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/jeff-bezos/">Jeff Bezos</a>, who had been the richest person since 2017 and is currently worth about $184 billion. Musk’s wealth surge over the past year marks the fastest rise to the top of the rich list in history — and marks a dramatic financial turnaround for the famed entrepreneur who just 18 months ago was in the headlines for Tesla’s rapid cash burn and his personal leverage against Tesla’s stock.



Musk started 2020 worth about $27 billion, and was barely in the top 50 richest people.



Tesla’s rocketing share price — which has increased more than nine-fold over the past year — along with his generous pay package have added more than $150 billion to his net worth.



Meanwhile,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/?symbol=AMZN">Amazon’s</a>&nbsp;share price has remained more subdued due to the potential for increased regulation from Washington.



Elon Musk passed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/id/10000263">Warren Buffett</a>&nbsp;in July to become the seventh richest person. In November, Musk raced past&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/id/10000312">Bill Gates</a>&nbsp;to become the second richest person. Musk has gained more wealth over the past 12 months than Bill Gates’ entire net worth of $132 billion.



Tesla’s shares were recently trading at about $790, up more than 4% in trading Thursday. The company’s market value has grown to $737.6 billion.

Elon Musk At SpaceX Headquarters

South African born, Elon Musk is now the richest person in the world, passing Jeff Bezos

JOHANNESBURG, Jan 7 (Reuters) &#8211; About three telecommunications towers belonging to Vodacom and MTN were burnt this week following a resurgence in conspiracy theories which link the emergence of COVID-19 to 5G technology, South Africa&#8217;s communication minister said on Thursday.
The towers were burnt and destroyed between Tuesday and Wednesday this week in KwaZulu-Natal province, the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams said in a statement and also urged police to arrest those responsible &#8220;for this anarchy&#8221;.
&#8220;It is regrettable that the much-needed network infrastructure is being destroyed &#8230; mobile telephony is crucial in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic,&#8221; she said.
There was little to no impact on Vodacom&#8217;s network and the vandalised infrastructure is being repaired, Vodacom&#8217;s spokesman Byron Kennedy said in an emailed response.
&#8220;Vodacom would like to reiterate that there is no credible scientific evidence linking 5G or mobile technologies to the spread of coronavirus,&#8221; he added.
MTN echoed the same sentiment and added that the two MTN-owned towers that were burnt did not have 5G technology. MTN gave a higher overall figure than the minister, saying that four towers had been burnt in total, with two belonging to Vodacom.
A range of groups in South Africa, like those across the globe, have opposed the advent of 5G, mostly over concerns that radio waves could damage human health.
Health bodies like the World Health Organization and Public Health England have stated  that no adverse health effects have  so far been linked to 5G frequency exposure.
Both MTN and Vodacom began rolling out 5G across the country last year and aim to accelerate the roll out once spectrum has been auctioned by the end of March 31. (Reporting by Nqobile Dludla; Editing by Giles Elgood)
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Vodacom and MTN telecommunications towers burnt in S.Africa by 5G protesters

* Dis-Chem to administer vaccine at drive through stations
* Clicks and Dis-Chem have adequate cold chain storage
* Drug store chains in discussions with govt for clarity
By Nqobile Dludla
JOHANNESBURG, Jan 7 (Reuters) &#8211; South Africa&#8217;s two biggest pharmacy chains Clicks Group and Dis-Chem Pharmacies said they plan to offer COVID-19 shots at their stores and provide storage and distribution facilities in the vaccine rollout programme once the government provides more details.
Health Minister Zweli Mkhize on Sunday called on the private sector, including pharmacies, to help with the rollout but the government is yet to outline how exactly they will help.
Dis-Chem and Clicks have a combined 45% dispensary market share.
Dis-Chem, with more than 180 stores, will offer the vaccines at all its clinics nationwide and is also looking to offer them at its eight drive-through COVID-19 testing stations, Dis-Chem National Clinic Manager Lizeth Kruger told Reuters.
&#8220;We will assist and put our hand up,&#8221; Kruger said, adding that Dis-Chem will be involved from the second phase of the rollout, which includes vaccinating essential workers like teachers and people over 60 years old.
In the first phase the government wants to vaccinate about 1.25 million healthcare workers in the country.
Healthcare experts have said that for the government to expeditiously vaccinate two-thirds of a country of 58 million people, it will have to pool resources from the private sector at a scale never done before in South Africa.
But so far the government has not laid out a clear strategy on how it will roll out and vaccinate millions of people, even as cases of coronavirus reach record highs every day due to a new, more contagious variant identified around mid December.
Health Minister Mkhize said on Thursday that the country plans to vaccinate 40 million people within a year to achieve herd immunity.
Dis-Chem has three big warehouses with cold chain storage and distribution facilities across South Africa and can keep vaccines at cold temperatures of between 2 and 8 degree Celsius, Kruger added.
Clicks, in an emailed response, said: &#8220;Our network is immediately ready for the distribution and administration of vaccines.&#8221;
It has nurses and pharmacists in stores poised to support the implementation, it added.
Clicks runs South Africa&#8217;s biggest drug distribution and bulk and wholesale supplier, called United Pharmaceutical Distributors (UPD), which currently services Aspen Pharmacare , which will manufacture the Johnson &amp; Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. (Reporting by Nqobile Dludla Editing by Promit Mukherjee and Susan Fenton)
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S.Africa’s two biggest pharmacies plan to offer COVID-19 vaccines

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="416" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/106819656-1609928400136-gettyimages-1285458686-dsc_5580.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-394538" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/106819656-1609928400136-gettyimages-1285458686-dsc_5580.jpeg 740w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/106819656-1609928400136-gettyimages-1285458686-dsc_5580-300x169.jpeg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><figcaption>Scientist in a protective suit holds and compares two different Coronavirus of different color in his hands.
Aitor Diago | Moment | Getty Images</figcaption></figure>



Viruses mutate all the time, so it’s no surprise that the coronavirus which emerged in China at the end of 2019 has undergone significant mutations as the virus replicates and spreads.



But a new strain that has emerged in South Africa is causing concern. Like a variant discovered in the U.K. in recent months, the one that in South Africa is proving to be far more transmissible.



While the two strains spread more easily, scientists do not believe they are deadlier. But being more transmissible means more people can get infected, and this could mean more serious infections and more fatalities.



Questions are now being raised over whether the coronavirus vaccines developed at breakneck speed in the last year, the Western frontrunners being those developed by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/?symbol=PFE">Pfizer</a>&#8211;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/?symbol=BNTX">BioNTec</a>h,&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;will be effective against significant mutations of the virus, such as the one identified in South Africa.



While scientists believe the U.K. variant is not likely to affect the efficacy of the vaccines currently being rolled out in the West, there is more uncertainty regarding the other strain.



Experts are keen to point out that there’s still a lot we don’t know about the new strains, although they are being investigated, and they are urging people not to panic. Here’s what we know so far:



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-do-we-know-about-the-variant">What do we know about the variant?</h2>



On Dec. 18, South Africa announced the detection of the mutation that was rapidly spreading in three provinces, becoming the dominant strain in Eastern Cape, Western Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal provinces.



South Africa named the variant “501Y.V2” because of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/csr/don/21-december-2020-sars-cov2-variant-united-kingdom/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the N501Y mutation</a>&nbsp;they found in the spike protein that the virus uses to gain entry into cells within the body. This mutation, among others, was also found in the new strain that the U.K. identified in December (<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/covid-19-sars-cov-2-information-about-the-new-virus-variant" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">but estimated to have been in circulation since September</a>) with both regarded as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/04/british-prime-boris-johnson-imposes-national-lockdown-for-england-to-combat-new-covid-variant.html">increasing the transmissibility of the virus, making it spread more efficiently</a>.



With authorities in the U.K. and South Africa alerting the World Health Organization to the new mutations in December, the WHO noted that while both variants found in the U.K. and South Africa shared the N501Y mutation, they are different.



The variant in South Africa carries two other mutations in the spike protein (E484K and K417N, among others) which are not present in the U.K. strain, named “VOC-202012/01,” with VOC standing for “Variant of Concern.” Experts said the mutations could affect how vaccines against Covid work.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-worried-should-we-be">How worried should we be?</h2>



Some experts are worried about the South Africa variant, now more widely known as “501.V2.”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/weekly-epidemiological-update---5-january-2021" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">So far, it has only been found in a handful of cases, WHO noted Tuesday, albeit in an increasing number of countries</a>&nbsp;including the U.K., France, Switzerland, Japan, Austria and Zambia.



Multiple countries have banned flights from South Africa&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/21/new-covid-strain-makes-uk-a-global-pariah-amid-travel-bans.html">and the U.K.</a>&nbsp;as a result of the new strains in a bid to stop their spread.



Earlier this week,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/04/south-african-coronavirus-variant-more-of-a-problem-than-uk-one.html">U.K. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the variant found in South Africa was especially concerning</a>. “I’m incredibly worried about the South African variant, and that’s why we took the action that we did to restrict all flights from South Africa,” he told the BBC’s “Today” program Monday.



“This is a very, very significant problem, &#8230; and it’s even more of a problem than&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/04/british-prime-boris-johnson-imposes-national-lockdown-for-england-to-combat-new-covid-variant.html">the U.K. new variant</a>,” he said without explanation.



On Tuesday, former U.S. FDA chief Dr. Scott Gottlieb warned that vaccinating Americans against Covid is more critical than ever, especially as the variant in South Africa appears to inhibit antibody drugs, and is spreading elsewhere.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“The South Africa variant is very concerning right now because it does appear that it may obviate some of our medical countermeasures, particularly the antibody drugs,” Gottlieb told CNBC’s <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/the-news-with-shepard-smith/">“The News with Shepard Smith”</a> on Tuesday.



“Right now that strain does appear to be prevalent in South America and Brazil, the two parts of the world, right now, that are in their summer, but also experiencing a very dense epidemic, and that’s concerning.”&nbsp;



The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted on Sunday that scientists are investigating the variants “to better understand how easily they might be transmitted and whether currently authorized vaccines will protect people against them.”



“Currently, there is no evidence that these variants cause more severe illness or increased risk of death. New information about the virologic, epidemiologic, and clinical characteristics of these variants is rapidly emerging,” it added.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-about-the-risk-to-vaccines">What about the risk to vaccines?</h2>



As countries scramble to kickstart vaccination programs, or to speed up those already underway, experts noted that one of the biggest potential consequences of emerging variants is their “ability to evade natural or vaccine-induced immunity.”



“Both vaccination against and natural infection with SARS-CoV-2 (the coronavirus) produce a ‘polyclonal’ response that targets several parts of the spike protein. The virus would likely need to accumulate multiple mutations in the spike protein to evade immunity induced by vaccines or by natural infection,” the CDC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/science-and-research/scientific-brief-emerging-variants.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said Sunday in its brief on the emerging variants.</a>



The ability to evade vaccine-induced immunity is, for the CDC, the most concerning potential consequence of emergent strains “because once a large proportion of the population is vaccinated, there will be immune pressure that could favor and accelerate emergence of such variants by selecting for ‘escape mutants.’”



The CDC stressed, however, that “there is no evidence that this is occurring, and most experts believe escape mutants are unlikely to emerge because of the nature of the virus.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-did-it-originate">How did it originate?</h2>



How and where these variants originated is unclear, experts stress, noting that it’s unfair to “blame” countries for mutations, given that they could have originated anywhere but have been discovered by certain countries “looking for them,” i.e. those that conduct advanced surveillance of viruses and thus are likely to find more mutations.



The variant in the U.K., for example, was found by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cogconsortium.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">‘Covid-19 Genomics UK Consortium,’</a>&nbsp;which undertakes random genetic sequencing of positive Covid samples around the country. Since being set up in April, the consortium has sequenced 170,256 virus genomes from people infected with Covid. It uses the data to track outbreaks and identify variant viruses and publishes its data weekly.

Covid variant found in South Africa is worrying experts: Here’s what we know so far

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="416" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/106415584-1582892362326gettyimages-1203910174.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-394440" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/106415584-1582892362326gettyimages-1203910174.jpeg 740w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/106415584-1582892362326gettyimages-1203910174-300x169.jpeg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><figcaption>A security man administers sanitiser to a visitor to a state hospital in Lagos, on February 28, 2020. PIUS UTOMI EKPEI | AFP via Getty Images</figcaption></figure>



The coronavirus pandemic has sharpened the lens on a substantial health-care spending gap in Africa’s largest economy, and international investors are seeking to fill the void.



When it comes to health care, Nigeria is lagging its comparable African neighbors in terms of expenditure and access.



For example,Nigeria’s public spending on health care amounts to just 3.89% of its $495 billion GDP (gross domestic product), according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">latest available figures from the World Bank</a>, compared to 8.25% in South Africa and 5.17% in Kenya.



According to a recent report from real estate consultancy Knight Frank, Nigeria would require 386,000 additional beds and $82 billion of investment in health-care real estate assets to reach the global average of 2.7 beds per thousand people.



Also, Nigeria’s 206 million population is expected to almost double by 2050, according to the U.N., which would see it become the third-most populous country in the world.



All of this — especially combined with the coronavirus pandemic — has sparked an interest in the sector from foreign investors.



A Knight Frank poll of 140 global investors in June found that 80% were considering investment in African health infrastructure in light of the coronavirus crisis. This interest centered primarily around hospital-related real estate and operating companies in collaboration with domestic experts.



As is the case across much of the African continent, Nigeria has managed to keep its coronavirus caseload relatively low given the size of its population, recording 90,080 cases and 1,311 deaths as of Monday morning, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-international-interest-growing">International interest growing</h2>



Even prior to the pandemic, African health-care assets had begun to generate interest more broadly. The International Finance Corporation, part of the World Bank, partnered with the Investment Fund for Health in Africa-II (IFHA-II) in November 2019 to form a $115 million acquisition vehicle for health-care service businesses in the east and south of the continent.



European development finance organizations such as Swedfund, the Swedish development finance institution, have backed IFHA, along with the likes of Pfizer and the Stichting Social Investor Foundation for Africa, whose backers include&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/?symbol=AGN-NL">Aegon</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/?symbol=HEIA-NL">Heineken</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/?symbol=RDSA-GB">Shell</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/?symbol=UNAN-MX">Unilever</a>&nbsp;among others.



Since the onset of the pandemic, the Nigerian government has issued 100 billion naira ($254.6 million) in state credit facilities for health care, from pharmaceutical companies and product manufacturers to service providers, which has seemingly spurred greater interest from private investors. The Bank of Industry, a Nigerian development finance institution, is supplying a further 50 billion naira.



“There is a very compelling opportunity for the development of world-class healthcare facilities across Africa, but especially Nigeria,” said Hafeez Giwa, managing partner at HC Capital Properties, which has started to invest in health-care assets in Nigeria.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://image.cnbcfm.com/api/v1/image/106818322-1609752391633-Hafeez_Giwa_photo.jpg?v=1609752599&amp;w=678&amp;h=381" alt="Hafeez Giwa, managing partner at HC Capital Properties, has begun to invest in Nigerian health care infrastructure."/><figcaption>Hafeez Giwa, managing partner at HC Capital Properties, has begun to invest in Nigerian health care infrastructure. New Markets Media &amp; Intelligence</figcaption></figure>







“Most of the public hospitals here were constructed over 40 years ago and only a handful have received any investment since then,” Giwa said in a report published Monday by frontier markets consultancy New Markets Media &amp; Intelligence.



Tosin Runsewe, CEO at health-care investment firm AfyACare Nigeria, highlighted another opportunity: obligatory health insurance for federal employees would see insurance costs lowered and the percentage of health-care costs covered could rise to between 20% and 30% by 2030.



As it stands, around 72% of household health-care expenditure is out-of-pocket, compared to the sub-Saharan average of 35%, the Knight Frank report highlighted, and only 5% of health care is covered by insurance.



“If we could attain a critical mass of 40 million to 60 million Nigerians with healthcare cover, the cost of this treatment could be met through health insurance premiums of around only 20,000 Naira ($50) a year, half the current average cost,” Runsewe said.



“There is an array of opportunities for investors in private primary healthcare clinics that can provide services at an affordable cost.”



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://image.cnbcfm.com/api/v1/image/106465856-1585511566900gettyimages-1208498757.jpeg?v=1585511618&amp;w=678&amp;h=381" alt="Commuters wearing a protective face masks walk on the street of Lagos, as a preventive measure against the spread of the new corona virus, COVIC-19, in Lagos, on March 26, 2020."/><figcaption>Commuters wearing a protective face masks walk on the street of Lagos, as a preventive measure against the spread of the new corona virus, COVIC-19, in Lagos, on March 26, 2020.</figcaption></figure>







Giwa said HC Capital Properties was investing in Nigeria due to both “extreme need” and government initiatives which have rendered it easier to develop high-quality assets that offer affordable care. He suggested that there are two types of investors currently exploring these opportunities.



“On the one hand, there are local institutional investors and local pension funds that, in Nigeria’s case, are Naira investors and do not have any concerns about currency risk,” Giwa said.



“On the other hand, there are development impact investors and institutions that are excited by the prospect of delivering high-quality healthcare to lower- and middle-income Nigerians.”



He anticipates that the pandemic has brought about a “permanent change in thinking” which will place greater emphasis on quality health care at home.



At present, Nigeria loses up to $1 billion per year to outbound health tourism among wealthier Nigerians due to inadequate domestic access, according to a recent PwC report.

106415584-1582892362326gettyimages-1203910174

Foreign investors are gearing up to plug Nigeria’s $82 billion health-care gap

Imagine a secluded getaway, with breathtaking panoramic views of crystal clear waters and white sandy beaches. Rediscover Maldives &#8211; a safe haven where the unique geography lends itself naturally to social and physical distancing. With 1,190 islands scattered across the Indian Ocean, this factor alone makes for a wonderful reason as to why you should pack your bags and head to the island nation.



Adding to this is the one-island-one-resort concept, which Maldives is famous for. This simply means that resorts are established on one island, ensuring privacy for the guests. Besides staff and tourists, there are no extra guests living at these resorts.&nbsp;



The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) awarded the Maldives with the Safe Travels Stamp in September 2020 for the enhanced health and safety measures in line with global safety protocols. It is the world’s first ever global safety and hygiene stamp for Travel &amp; Tourism endorsed by the World Tourism Organization and more than 200 travel companies.&nbsp;



On 27 November 2020, the Maldives was awarded the World’s Leading Destination in 2020 by the World Travel Awards &#8211; a historic win for the island nation.



<figure class="wp-block-image alignfull size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1110" height="741" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/2-1110x741.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-393912" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/2-1110x741.jpg 1110w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/2-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/2-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/2-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/2-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1110px) 100vw, 1110px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-remember-to-check-the-travel-guidelines-before-you-travel-to-the-maldives">Remember to check the travel guidelines before you travel to the Maldives</h2>



On 15 July 2020, the Maldives reopened its borders to all international tourists where all nationalities can enjoy 30 days with a free visa upon arrival.&nbsp;



To enter the country, make sure a confirmed booking from a tourist establishment registered with the Ministry of Tourism in the Maldives is in place as this is mandatory. A complete list of opened tourist establishments along with other tentative reopening dates are available on the <a href="https://visitmaldives.com/en/covid19-updates">Visit Maldives</a> website.&nbsp;



An online Health Declaration form is required to be submitted by all tourists 24 hours prior to departure. This is available through the<a href="https://imuga.immigration.gov.mv/"> IMUGA portal</a>. All tourists are also required to have a negative PCR test taken 96 hrs prior to the departure to Maldives. The result should also be submitted through the <a href="https://imuga.immigration.gov.mv/">IMUGA portal</a> within 24 hrs prior to the departure from the first port of embarkation en route to the Maldives.



<figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="680" height="1024" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/5-680x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-393915" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/5-680x1024.jpg 680w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/5-199x300.jpg 199w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/5-768x1156.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/5-1020x1536.jpg 1020w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/5-scaled.jpg 1360w" sizes="(max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px" /></figure>



In addition, local authorities encourage travelers to install the TraceEkee app (available on Google Play and AppStore) on their smartphones upon arrival. This is an online app introduced by the Health Protection Authority of the Maldives to mitigate community spread of covid19 by using bluetooth signals to detect encounters with other users. It helps to proactively identify positive cases faster and provide guidance and necessary measures at the earliest.



For more information: <a href="https://visitmaldives.s3.amazonaws.com/Gw16xrYE/ybitcuhe.pdf">Visit Maldives</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-travel-from-one-island-to-another-easily-hop-onto-a-liveaboard">Travel from one island to another easily, hop onto a liveaboard!</h2>



The Maldives Split Stays are now available for all types of tourist accommodations &#8211; from resorts and guesthouses to liveaboards! There are many options to choose from since the country is not solely dedicated to resort-goers; it offers a number of options catering to a diverse range of preferences.&nbsp;



What is a ‘Split Stay’ you may ask? This allows tourists to experience their stay at more than one tourist accommodation in the Maldives and enable them to have a longer vacation. ‘Split Stays’ are permitted only between all tourist establishments that meet all the compulsory requirements under the split stay guideline by the Health Protection Authority (HPA) of the Maldives. Requests for approval of ‘split stays’ should be submitted to the Ministry of Tourism two days prior to the travelling date.&nbsp;



For the approved of list of tourist facilities: <a href="https://visitmaldives.com/en/covid19-updates">Visit Maldives Covid19 updates</a>



<figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="767" height="1024" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/4-767x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-393914" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/4-767x1024.jpg 767w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/4-225x300.jpg 225w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/4-768x1025.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/4-1151x1536.jpg 1151w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/4-scaled.jpg 1535w" sizes="(max-width: 767px) 100vw, 767px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-get-enrolled-and-earn-points-through-maldives-border-miles">Get enrolled and earn points through Maldives Border Miles</h2>



The first of its kind loyalty programme for tourists, the Maldives Border Miles is an initiative by the Maldives Immigration together with the Ministry of Tourism, Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) and Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL). The program will be launched in December 2020.



The three-tier loyalty programme is based on a point system for the number of visits, duration of stay and the occasion of visit. If you are traveling to Maldives as a tourist, you can enroll as a member of Maldives Border Miles. Points will be rewarded if you stay in a registered tourist facility and if you stay at least 3 nights in Maldives



For more information: <a href="https://visitmaldives.com/en/news/a-brief-introduction-to-maldives-border-miles#:~:text=The%20Maldives%20Border%20Miles%20is,be%20launched%20in%20December%202020.">Maldives Border Miles</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-allied-inbound-maldives-first-covid-19-insurance-for-tourists">Allied Inbound: Maldives’ First COVID-19 Insurance for Tourists</h2>



The Ministry of Tourism, in collaboration with Allied Insurance, has also introduced the first COVID-19 Travel Insurance in Maldives. This policy covers charges for services including isolation costs, medical treatment and transportation costs to isolation/medical facilities and consists of two plans; “Allied Inbound” and “Allied Inbound Plus.” The package covers 7 or more days and can be purchased before arriving in Maldives through the <a href="https://myallied.mv/type/inbound-allied/new">&nbsp;Allied Insurance website</a>.



Choose this plan prior to your journey and enjoy your holiday in the Maldives with assurance of safety and peace of mind.



<figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="683" height="1024" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/1-683x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-393911" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/1-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/1-200x300.jpg 200w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/1-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/1-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/1-scaled.jpg 1365w" sizes="(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /></figure>

Maldives: The perfect island getaway

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="416" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/106400431-1582206401665gettyimages-1201617017.jpeg" alt="A local resident tries to swot away a swarm of desert locusts in Mathiakani, Kitui County, Kenya, on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020. The number of locusts in East Africa could expand 500 times by June, the UN’s Food &amp; Agriculture Organization said last month." class="wp-image-365130" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/106400431-1582206401665gettyimages-1201617017.jpeg 740w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/106400431-1582206401665gettyimages-1201617017-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/106400431-1582206401665gettyimages-1201617017-696x391.jpeg 696w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><figcaption>A local resident tries to swot away a swarm of desert locusts in Mathiakani, Kitui County, Kenya, on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020. The number of locusts in East Africa could expand 500 times by June, the UN’s Food &#038; Agriculture Organization said last month.
</figcaption></figure>


 
NAIROBI/GAROWE, Dec 16 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) &#8211; A new generation of locust swarms is threatening to wipe out the livelihoods of farmers and herders across eastern Africa &#8211; deepening a food crisis in a region where 35 million people are already hungry, the United Nations warned on Wednesday.
From January to August, massive desert locust swarms swept across Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya, ravaging crops and decimating pasture in the worst outbreak in decades.
Governments, supported by U.N. agencies and international charities, responded with large-scale aerial and ground spraying of pesticides to destroy the swarms, which scientists have linked to climate change.
But widespread rains in Ethiopia and flooding caused by a cyclone in Somalia last month have created favourable breeding conditions, allowing locust infestations to increase, said the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
&#8220;We have achieved much, but the battle against this relentless pest is not yet over,&#8221; said FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu in a statement.
&#8220;We must not waiver. Locusts keep growing day and night and risks are exacerbating food insecurity for vulnerable families across the affected region.&#8221;
Locust swarms are already forming in Somalia and Ethiopia and threaten to re-invade northern Kenya, while breeding is also underway on both sides of the Red Sea, posing a new threat to Eritrea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Yemen, said the FAO.
Habib Mahmud, an environmental activist in Galkayo town in Somalia&#8217;s semi-autonomous northern region of Puntland, said farmers and pastoralists had been severely affected.
&#8220;There were close to 5,000 pawpaw trees in this farm located on outskirts of Galkayo. The trees were completely stripped bare by locusts in a few hours. No tree survived,&#8221; Mahmud told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone.
&#8220;The owners of that farm told me they lost their entire source of living, there was nothing left for them.&#8221;
Puntland authorities estimate that almost one-third of farmers have gone out of business and more than 35,000 families have lost jobs and income due to the devastation caused by the insects.
Aid workers say herders need veterinary care and fodder for starved livestock, while farmers require cash to help them survive the months until their next harvest.
Kenyan authorities said they were procuring pesticides, aircraft for spraying, and deploying ground surveillance teams to track the movement of locusts and inform communities.
&#8220;These locusts have the potential to destroy farmlands and any other form of green vegetation,&#8221; Kenyan government spokesman Cyrus Oguna told a news conference on Tuesday.
&#8220;If left unchecked in our country, the locusts have the potential to undermine our food security.&#8221;
More than 35 million people are acutely food insecure in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The FAO estimates this number could increase by another 3.5 million in the coming months, if nothing is done to control the latest outbreak.
(Reporting by Nita Bhalla @nitabhalla and Mohammed Omer, Editing by Katy Migiro. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers the lives of people around the world who struggle to live freely or fairly. Visit http://news.trust.org)
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2020. Click For Restrictions &#8211; https://agency.reuters.com/en/copyright.html

A local resident tries to swot away a swarm of desert locusts in Mathiakani, Kitui County, Kenya, on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020. The number of locusts in East Africa could expand 500 times by June, the UN’s Food & Agriculture Organization said last month.

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Fresh wave of crop-ravaging locust swarms threaten E. African herders, farmers

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Fresh wave of crop-ravaging locust swarms threaten E. African herders, farmers

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