COVID-19
WHO: Africa’s coronavirus cases exceed 230,000
Flickr The World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Africa in Brazzaville, Congo, says the number of coronavirus cases in Africa is now over 230,000. The UN health agency gave the update on its official twitter account @WHOAFRO on Sunday. It stated that “there are over 230,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases on the African continent – with more than 105,000 recoveries and 6,200 deaths.” WHO also noted that South Africa, Nigeria, and Algeria had the highest reported cases on the continent. According to the organisation, South Africa has 65,736 cases and 1,423 deaths, followed by Nigeria with 15,181 confirmed cases and 399 deaths, while Algeria has 10,810 confirmed cases and 760 deaths. WHO said that Lesotho, Seychelles and Gambia are countries currently with the lowest confirmed cases on the...
This Mask Really Ties Your Face Together
This is not ‘Nam. This is a pandemic. There are rules. If it’s like, experts’ opinion, man, that covering your face keeps you safe, then the Dude abides. Besides, this mask will really tie your face together. Available now in packs of two, four, and six, “The Dude” is the newest design available as part of a capsule of specialty designed face masks supporting Consequence of Sound, an independently owned company, and benefitting MusiCares’ COVID-19 Artist Relief Fund. The mask is reusable and washable, made in the USA from recyclable bottles, and of the highest quality. The MSRP value for a 2-pack is $40.00, but we are offering them at a 25-42% off discount along with free shipping. Order yours below, or head to our newly launched web store to see our full offering of face masks. ...
South Africa’s CO.ZA Reaches 1.25 Million Registered Domain Names
There are now over 1.25 million individual domain names registered within South Africa’s flagship CO.ZA Internet domain, according to the ZA Central Registry NPC (ZACR). “It speaks volumes that CO.ZA has powered over the 1.25 million mark during the current lockdown as anecdotal evidence suggests South Africans are increasingly snapping up domains to help them launch businesses, pursue creative and study endeavours, secure their digital identities and generally become much more active online,” says Lucky Masilela, ZACR CEO. New domain name registration by SMMEs (Small, Medium & Micro Enterprises), in particular, has picked up significantly since late March with many new CO.ZA registrations since lockdown by small business owners who find this domain delivers the perfect blend of afford...
45-Track “CARE4LIFE” Compilation Features New Music from The Chemical Brothers, Maya Jane Coles, and More
London-based label Above Board Projects has released CARE4LIFE, an expansive charity compilation providing COVID-19 relief to NHS Charities Together, a collective supporting the National Health Service. According to a press released issued to announce the compilation, the project is “aimed at assisting and honouring our brave and skilled NHS frontline workforce in this most challenging of times.” Released on Bandcamp today, the album spans a whopping 45 tracks and features new music from many major underground electronic artists, including legendary production duo The Chemical Brothers. The tandem contributed a new remix of their single “Catch Me I’m Falling,” which appeared on their Grammy Award-winning 2019 album No Geograp...
Celebrate Pride Month with This Face Mask
Keeping safe and healthy doesn’t mean you can’t show your true colors. Whether an ally or member of the LGBTQ+ community, celebrate Pride and the power of authenticity with our new rainbow face masks. “When all Americans are treated as equal, no matter who they are or whom they love, we are all more free,” former president Barack Obama said in 2013, shortly after the Supreme Court ruled in support of gay marriage. That’s the spirit of Pride month. Available now in packs of two, four, and six, “The Pride Mask” is the newest design available as part of our capsule of specialty designed face masks. A portion of the proceeds benefit the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, which protects and defends the rights of Black transgender people. The mask is reusable and washable, made in the USA from recycla...
COVID-19 Contact Tracing Apps: Managing the Pandemic While Maintaining Privacy
Image sourced from Oudtshoorn Courant The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a huge toll worldwide for both individuals and economies. As a precaution, many countries have implemented strict lockdown measures such as closing schools, restaurants and borders, while mask-wearing in public and social distancing have become a must. The enforcement of these policies, along with the extensive testing of populations has helped to minimize infection rates. However, when an individual is found to be infected with the coronavirus, the race is on to find those who have come into contact with them, as these people could be carriers or even be infected. This has led to hundreds of coronavirus contact-tracing mobile applications being developed worldwide and backed by various governments and national health au...
South Africa’s rAge Expo 2020 Has Been Cancelled
Sourced from rAge. South Africa’s largest annual video gaming, tech and geek culture expo has been cancelled for 2020. The rAge Expo has been ongoing without fail for nearly two decades. For the first time in 18 years, the Johannesburg-based event won’t be going forward due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. “The 2020 expo was shaping up to be yet another awesome event, and the team is deeply saddened that rAge won’t be coming to life in the real world this year. This isn’t a decision that was taken lightly. It was the product of lengthy internal discussions as well as valued input from other stakeholders, and the team all agreed that the expo would serve everyone better if it was cancelled for now,” reads a statement from the expo’s official website. “The coronavirus pandemic has touched e...
Why Africa Urgently Needs Affordable Broadband Internet, Especially Now
Sourced from Getty Images. The director of Technology, Climate Change and Natural Resources Management at the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Jean-Paul Adam, told journalists during a virtual press briefing on 10 June 2020 that Africa contributes less than 1% to the world’s digital economy, which accounts for about 15% of global GDP. He says the continent needs about $100 billion to achieve universal, affordable and good quality internet access by 2030 (according to the World Bank). Presently, only 17.8% of households in Africa have the internet at home and the continent accounts for only 21% of worldwide internet users. It is estimated that over a quarter of a billion school children in Africa have been affected by COVID-19 and most of them lack the digital tools to continue their e...
Cloud Tech Helps With The Transition into a New Normal
Sourced from PC Mag With companies needing to support remote working strategies and with a rise in demand for cloud-based business continuity tools and services during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is expected that the global cloud market size will grow from $233 billion in 2019 to reach $295 billion by 2021. The importance of the cloud can no longer be debated. Instead, the focus shifts to optimally integrating it into the business strategy to ensure business sustainability. The research suggests that companies are using cloud automation and increasing their online presence by developing e-commerce websites on cloud platforms to decrease the impact of COVID-19 on productivity and operational efficiency. Cloud-driven market /* custom css */ .tdi_3_eee.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_ee...
Watch Dirt Monkey Perform for a Packed Crowd at Orlando Nightclub Amid Pandemic
As many cities across the world slowly roll out plans to rebuild and kickstart their respective economies, the nightlife industry has not been a priority. Since nightclubs and festivals inherently lock horns with pandemic-related safety ordinances due to the difficulties of enforcing social distancing measures in congested venues, the reopening of nightlife has taken a backseat to other industries. Enter dubstep artist Dirt Monkey, who appeared at Orlando’s GILT Nightclub yesterday, June 8th, 2020 to throw down a heavy-hitting bass music set before a packed crowd. While we’re still in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important to note that while concerts of this nature are frowned upon by some, they are certainly not illegal. The stat...
Osheaga Festival 2020 Postponed Due to Coronavirus
Osheaga Festival 2020 has officially been postponed until next summer due to the coronavirus. This year would’ve marked the Montreal event’s 15th anniversary. “Unfortunately this year, given the circumstances, we have no choice but to postpone the long-awaited 15th edition of the festival to next summer, July 30 – August 1, 2021,” read a statement from the event’s organizers. Foo Fighters, Kendrick Lamar, and Lizzo were originally tapped as headliners for the 2020 installment, which was scheduled for this July. Kraftwerk, Vampire Weekend, Bon Iver, BROCKHAMPTON, Charli XCX, Caribou, Nick Murphy, and Rex Orange County were also slated to perform, as were Brittany Howard, Tove Lo, slowthai, Phoebe Bridgers, and Soccer Mommy. Organizers are “currently working” to book as many of those sa...
SA Startup Making Waves with New COVID-19 Tracing Tech
Sourced from Forbes. A South African startup has launched a cheap approach to contact tracing in efforts to help with coronavirus measures. Contact tracing is a method of tracking used in countries like the United Kingdom, Singapore and South Korea to aid in containing SARS-CoV-2 infections. The tracing is able to track exactly who was in contact with an infectious person and thus limit further contact. South Korea, one of the only countries on Earth that have been able to bring a massive COVID-19 outbreak rapidly under control used contact tracing heavily. Currently, the country has just over a thousand cases and is no longer forcing stay-at-home lockdowns and most businesses are open. /* custom css */ .tdi_3_77d.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_77d.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto...
