Coronavirus Watch

Global Statistics

A record increase of 208,864 new cases was recorded yesterday, to bring the total to 10,990,249 Covid-19 cases worldwide. 5,155 new deaths were registered and the death toll now stands at 524,176.

TheUS set a record number of new coronavirus cases in a single day yesterday, with57,236new infections reported and at least 23 US states have paused or rolled back reopening plans.

Brazil’s health ministry reported 47,984new cases of novel coronavirus on Thursday, bringing the country’s total to at least 1,501,353. The country recorded the highest number of deaths yesterday as 1,277 cases were reported to bring the total deaths in the country to 61,990, the second highest in the world after the United States of America.

The number of new cases reported Thursday is the second highest reported by Brazil during the pandemic. The highest number Brazil reported in a 24-hour period occurred on June 19 when the ministry reported 54,771 new cases, a spike the government said at the time was due in part to “instability” in how a few populous states exported their data.

13,060 new cases were recorded in Africa and the total number of Covid-19 cases is now at 434,442. An increase by 219 deaths brought the death toll to 10,662.

In South Africa, there were 168 061 confirmed cases, 2 844 deaths and 81 999 recoveries.

According to News 24, Covid-19 cases have started to spike in Gauteng, all government hospitals in the province have reached maximum bed capacity. The predicted impacts of coronavirus in Gauteng are becoming visible after the province registered a high number of deaths in the past 24 hours. Gauteng is already gearing up for its peak period of cases, and is expected to become the new epicentre, taking over from the Western Cape.

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said 95 people have died from the coronavirus related illnesses in the past 24 hours across the country. Gauteng now has just below 30% of the total number of cases, with 49 937. The Western Cape remains the highest, with 65 841. The mortality rate is 1, 7%.  The number of recoveries is 81 999, which translates to a recovery rate of 48.8%,” said Mkhize.

1,485 new cases were reported in Egypt to bring the total number of cases to 71,299.A total of 86 new deaths were recorded to bring the death toll in the country to 3,120. The country still records the highest number of deaths in the continent.

Eswatini recorded 33 new cases to bring the total number of cases to 873. The number of recoveries is now at 453 and  the number of active cases is at 410.

There were 12 new cases in Zimbabwe recorded yesterday and the number of confirmed cases is now at 617; 173 recoveries have been recorded and the number of active cases is at 437.

SA mines lose ground to Russian rivals on key strategic metal

South Africa’s mining companies are losing ground to Russian rivals due to the country’s harsh Covid-19 lockdown regulations, with some analysts claiming that it would take six to seven years for the country’s palladium output to recover.

Nornickel, whose shallower operations make it the industry’s lowest-cost producer, has so far maintained its palladium output guidance for this year, a spokesperson said. The miner on April 30 reiterated its 2.6 million to 2.8 million ounces guidance, which was originally issued in January, before the pandemic was declared.By contrast, top South African miners such as Anglo American Platinum and Impala Platinum Holdings have cut their production targets, while Sibanye Stillwater has suspended its forecasts.

As the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic pummeled demand from key customers in the vehicle manufacturing industry, Russia’s biggest mining company quietly tightened its grip on the palladium market. MMC Norilsk Nickel PJSC (Nornickel) was already the number one miner of the metal used in autocatalysts, but the crisis has allowed it to gain market share. That’s because Nornickel’s Russian operations have barely missed a beat, while its main rivals in South Africa are struggling to ramp up production after shuttering mines due to the coronavirus lockdown.-Bloomberg

Metal Prices Asia/Europe/NY markets

3/07/2020

(Source: Kitco)