COVID-19 pandemic in Africa

Turkey's confirmed cases of the coronavirus increased by 76,632 in the past 24 hours, and 266 more people have died, the Health Ministry announced on Feb. 14.

The ministry's infographic said that some 74,936 patients recovered in the last 24 hours.

It also added that 438,553 tests were conducted over the past day.

Bulgaria extends the emergency epidemic situation until August 31, 2021. This is done by a decision of the Council of Ministers.

A surge in cases of the delta variant continued to push the U.K.'s coronavirus infection numbers to levels not seen since the winter, even with most of the adult population now fully vaccinated.

With more than 60 percent of adults in the country having received two shots, there's growing optimism among experts that the vaccine roll-out has broken the link between cases and deaths.

The "acute" phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey is nearing an end, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca has said as the country broke yet another record in the number of daily vaccines administered.

The daily virus cases have declined sharply over the past weeks, easing from more than 60,000 in mid-April to around 6,000 lately.

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) spokesperson Faik Öztrak has criticized the government's way of handling the normalization process in Turkey and the vaccination program amid the pandemic.

"A new easing period is now expected, but it is still unclear how the opening will be," he said on May 31 at a press conference.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on May 30 that South Africa would re-impose stricter measures against Covid-19 fearing the whole country will soon face a third wave of the pandemic.

Four of the nation's nine provinces, including Gauteng which boasts Johannesburg and Pretoria and has the biggest population, are already battling a third wave of infections, Ramaphosa said.

Turkey will speed up its vaccination drive with COVID-19 jabs to be given to people aged 50 and above starting June 1, the country's health minister said on May 26. 

With a national lockdown nearing its end, nearly half a million teachers and school staffers will be vaccinated for COVID-19, Turkey's National Education Ministry said on May 15. 

Vaccination appointments have been made for 499,000 personnel, including ones for preschool, primary school, and village schools plus other education staff, according to ministry officials.

All economic activities are subject to 50% vaccination of staff etc

36 more islands will be Covid-free by the end of May