Health Minister Zweli Mkhize announced on Saturday 28 March, that there are now 1 187 confirmed coronavirus cases in the country.
The number stood at 1 170 on Friday 27 March.
Mkhize also announced some terrible news early on Friday. He said that the first two coronavirus deaths were confirmed in South Africa. The death toll was, however, later revised.
#COVID19 | OFFICIAL STATEMENT OF HEALTH MINISTER @DRZWELIMKHIZE – SOUTH AFRICA SITUATION REPORT #CoronaVirusSA #CoronaLockdown #CoronaUpdate #Day2 #LockdownHouseParty pic.twitter.com/lf0SJotna2
— Athi Geleba(@AthiGeleba) March 28, 2020
Coronavirus cases as of Saturday 28 March
The total number now stands at 1 187, when just yesterday on Friday, it stood at 1 170.
An increase of 17 has been registered in the past 24 hours, which is scary. Although, perhaps not scary enough to adhere to a nationwide lockdown.
Friday marked our first day of lockdown. The South African Police Service (SAPS) with the assistance of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has been instructed to make sure citizens adhere to the 21-day lockdown.
Police Minister Bheki Cele indicated that there were 55 arrests across the country on day one of lockdown. These arrests were made for not adhering to the lockdown regulations, which ultimately state that one should remain indoors.
Latest coronavirus cases by province
- Gauteng – 533 cases;
- Western Cape – 271 cases;
- KwaZulu-Natal – 156 cases;
- Free State – 68 cases;
- North West – six cases;
- Mpumalanga – 10 cases;
- Limpopo – 11 cases;
- Eastern Cape – 10;
- Northern Cape – five; and
- Unallocated – 117.
Health workers affected
Mkhize has noted with concern a number of confirmed coronavirus cases of health workers who work both in the private and public hospitals. This includes doctor and nurses.
Some of the confirmed coronavirus cases that involve health workers are as follows:
- In Limpopo, one medical doctor tested positive after he travelled abroad for holiday and started experiencing symptoms on his return. He immediately decided to quarantine himself. This young doctor remained in quarantine to ensure that he does not transmit the virus to other people. His 14-day quarantine period has ended and his results have now been confirmed negative;
- In Mpumalanga, one medical doctor who had also travelled for a holiday abroad returned to the province with symptoms which emerged a few days after he returned. Before then, he had been having interactions with staff and patients. He then tested positive and was quarantined. This led to other health workers who had come into contact with him to be screened, quarantined and tested. A decision was also made for that section of the hospital to be closed in order to disinfect it. This has been completed and it will be reopening during the course of next week;
- In Free State, three doctors, one nurse and one neurophysicist have tested positive for coronavirus;
- In Gauteng, six medical doctors have been infected; and
- Only one doctor in the Free State aged 70, is in ICU.
“It must be emphasised that none of these health workers were infected by patients that they were treating. They came into contact with their family members, friends and other colleagues who had tested positive for COVID-19,” said Mkhize.
Limited flu vaccines
Mkhize said South Africa received a very limited stock of flu vaccines.
“These are pre ordered a year in advance. At the time the country (both public and private) placed its orders, we had not anticipated this COVID-19 pandemic. This means that as it stands, our flu vaccines are understocked.”
Zweli Mkhize
The Health Department has therefore taken the decision that health workers in the country will be given priority in receiving the flu vaccine.
“This is precipitated by the fact that the country cannot afford to have them sick especially as the flu season approaches. This is one of the major lessons that we have learnt from countries that have experienced the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Mkhize.
Research trial for coronavirus
South Africa is participating in the Public Health Emergency Solidarity Trial that has been initiated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to conduct a clinical trial to find effective treatment for coronavirus.
WHO has convened an independent group of experts to review evidence from laboratory, animal and clinical studies to prioritise treatments for inclusion in the trial. This independent group identified the following treatment options for inclusion in the trial:
- Remdesivir : a drug which was previous used in an Ebola trial; – Lopinavir/ritonavir : a licensed treatment for HIV/AIDS – Lopinavir/ritonavir with interferon beta-1a : used for multiple sclerosis; – Chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine : drugs used to treat malaria and rheumatology conditions respectively
Wuhan repatriates to return home
Wuhan repatriates have been in quarantine at the infamous Ranch Hotel in Limpopo for three weeks. Upon their arrival in South Africa, they all tested negative for coronavirus, which put Limpopo residents at ease.
Mkhize, said the citizens conducted their second test in preparation for their exit and all of them came out negative again. They are therefore being prepared for vacating the Ranch Hotel.
Minister of Higher Education and Training also mentioned that transport would be organised for the group as early as Monday next week.
Death toll in South Africa revised
We registered the first coronavirus deaths in South Africa early on Friday. Two Western Cape residents – aged 28 and 48 respectively – were believed to have succumbed to the disease.
Later that day, however, one of those fatalities were downgraded to a “suspected” case. This essentially meant the death toll, which initially stood at two, is now at one.
The clinicians who were treating her have reported that the 28-year-old female had been in respiratory distress.
Source: The South African Read More“The clinical picture was suggestive of COVID-19 (coronavirus) and therefore a test was conducted. Her laboratory results have since been received and were confirmed negative. Her immediate family was also tested and they are also negative. She is therefore no longer considered a COVID-19 case,” said Mkhize.
