COVID19 Archives - Page 3 of 12

Melomed to allow visitors for COVID-19 patients in critical condition

Private hospital group, Melomed, says COVID-19 patients who are at the end of their lives will now be allowed to receive visitors. Private and government-funded hospitals previously implemented a no-visitors policy as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Several services such as antenatal classes and some surgeries have also been affected. Group Marketing Manager at Melomed, Shameema Adams, says restrictions have been eased following the country’s move from Alert Level […]

23 August 2020

News

“We have to live with the virus,” says expert on lockdown level 2

As anticipation builds around the expected relaxation of the lockdown in South Africa and subsequent lifting of bans, experts have warned that this needs to be carefully considered and implemented. It comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa held meetings with the National Coronaviurs Command council and cabinet amid ongoing court cases challenging aspects of the lockdown. The ban on the sale of tobacco products has been highly contested, with smokers and […]

14 August 2020

Local

Western Cape receives detailed report of ‘second pandemic’ expected after COVID-19

The Western Cape cabinet and provincial heads of department have received a detailed report at a bosberaad on the nature of a second pandemic expected in the wake of the COVID-19. Unemployment and poverty Premier Alan Winde says the hard interventions taken to slow the spread of COVID-19 will lead to a pandemic of unemployment, hunger and increasing levels of poverty, which is as equally serious and potentially deadly as […]

14 August 2020

News

New COVID-19 post-death testing explained

In line with a directive issued by the World Health Organisation, the Western Cape Department of Health has announced that all sudden deaths or those which occur at home will need to be tested for Covid-19. “Mortality due to Covid-19 is an important population-based measure of the pandemic. When testing for SARS-CoV-2 is constrained, death information becomes even more important. For this reason, it is imperative that clinicians in South […]

11 August 2020

Local

SA coronavirus death toll now at 6 655

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize on Saturday said there had been 312 new deaths related to Covid-19 over the past 24 hours, taking the country's death toll to 6 655. The minister also announced 12 204 new infections of Covid-19, which brings the total of confirmed cases to 434 200. Of the 312 new deaths, 209 were in Gauteng, 44 in the Eastern Cape, 37 in KwaZulu-Natal, 18 from the Western […]

26 July 2020

Local

Researchers find ‘huge discrepancy’ between reported number of Covid-19 fatalities and excess deaths

South Africans are dying at a much higher rate than expected as Covid-19 continues to spread at a significant pace in at least three provinces. Excess deaths between 6 May and 14 July topped 17 000, according to the latest research by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) and University of Cape Town's Centre for Actuarial Research. "In the past weeks, the numbers have shown a relentless increase – […]

23 July 2020

News

“Gentle easing of pressure” on hospitals in the WCape

The Western Cape Department of Health says early indications are that pressure is easing on hospitals in the province. During a digital media briefing today, officials said they are noticing a decline in COVID-19 hospitalisations and deaths, which is less than what was projected by epidemiologists. According to the National COVID-19 Epi model, there would have been a steady rise in the rate of daily Covid-19 deaths until the end […]

16 July 2020

News

MJC updates COVID-19 burial guidelines, trains 40 toekamanies

As the Muslim community in Cape Town sees a surge in coronavirus related deaths and with the expected peak of the virus, the Muslim Judicial Council has trained 40 new toekamanies/ undertakers to assist families during this time. The group had attended specialized workshops on how to safely handle the body of a person who died whilst being COVID-19 positive. Held at Masjid al-Khair in Mitchell's Plain on Sunday, the graduation […]

15 July 2020

News

350% increase in trauma patients during alcohol unbanning

The Western Cape Department of Health has welcomed the reinstatement of the ban on alcohol sales, given the recent rise in alcohol-related traumas being reported at hospitals across the province. It comes as President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the reimplementation of the ban in order to alleviate strain on the healthcare system, which has seen an influx of trauma cases. Speaking to VOC’s Breakfast Beat on Wednesday, the departments’ head of […]

15 July 2020

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