Pupils will be back at home again after a school says it has been "unable to control" Covid cases.

Five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Friday morning.

But statistics show trends are roughly stable in Wales and Northern Ireland and decreasing in Scotland.

A study has found that people who are hospitalised with Covid in Africa are far more likely to die than patients in other parts of the world.

There have been over 120,000 Covid-19 deaths reported in Africa so far - just 4% of the global total.

But a new report is warning that more needs to be done to make sure people who get seriously sick survive - especially if more virulent strains start to spread across the globe.

One of the researchers is Bruce Biccard from the University of Cape Town in South Africa. He says it's vital more vaccines reach Africa to prevent the disease's spread and impact:

"Fundamentally what it's shown is there are huge disparities in resources and in care in Africa which really are unacceptable."

(Photo: A critical care nurse demonstrates Covid care in Kenya. Credit: AFP)

Tourism businesses had hoped for a "staycation boom" to repay losses suffered during lockdowns.

The actor signed the shirts for a local football team after filming at its ground.

Rhoda Odhiambo
BBC health reporter, Nairobi

Image source, Getty Images

Patients who are critically ill with Covid-19 are more likely to die in Africa than in any other region in the world.

A study published by The Lancet attributes this to the shortage of crucial equipment in hospitals that are helpful in saving lives as well as shortage of specialised staff.

About 48% of severely ill patients admitted to a hospital in Africa die, the report notes, compared to the global average of 31.5%.

And the rate could be even higher in lower level hospitals that do not have critical care units.

"Our study is the first to give a detailed and comprehensive picture of what is happening to people who are severely ill with Covid-19 in Africa, with data from multiple countries and hospitals," said Prof Bruce Biccard from Groote Schuur Hospital and the University of Cape Town.

"Sadly, it indicates that our ability to provide sufficient care is compromised by a shortage of critical care beds and limited resources within intensive care units," Prof Biccard, who co-led the research, added.

More than 120,000 Covid-19 deaths have been reported in Africa, accounting for 4% of deaths reported globally.

More than 3,000 adults from 10 African countries took part in the study that focused on 64 hospitals in 10 countries - Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Libya, Malawi, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria and South Africa.

The study found that between May and December last year, half of the participants died without being given oxygen and another 10% did not receive kidney treatment.

You may also be interested in:

• Coronavirus: New variants are causing growing concern in Africa

President Biden signs a bipartisan law to "stop the hatred and the bias" against Asian Americans.

The law says some severely ill are exempt from hotel quarantine - but they don't always get a choice.

Exams have been cancelled in a bid to avoid a repeat of last summer's GCSE and A-Level "fiasco".

Norway's Eurovision entry has come to this years competition with more than music on the agenda.

The overall risks remain low for pregnant women but coronavirus may increase stillbirths, a study suggests.

As India struggles to deal with the virus, China steps in to help its neighbours like Sri Lanka.

Dimple Arora was a 34 year-old-dentist with everything to live for when she died of Covid-19.

The weekly case rate has reached 118.3, with Glasgow on 112.1, according to Public Health Scotland.

Stormont ministers were told that public confidence in police risked being damaged over Covid rules.

MSC Virtuosa set sail along the south coast of England on Thursday evening.

Swansea Bay health board said a "small" number of cases of the variant of concern had been confirmed.

Ministers agree that a traffic light system for foreign travel will also come into effect on Monday.