CAPE TOWN-Health minister Zweli Mkhize updated the nation on the Covid-19 situational analysis and outlined measures the government is taking to manage the pandemic.
Mkhize held an online briefing on Monday with Deputy minister Dr Joe Phaahla, provincial MEC’s, Department of Health officials and experts from the National Institute For Communicable Diseases (NICD).
He also announced that three more Covid-19 deaths were recorded in South Africa bringing the total to 93, while infections are at 4996, an increase of 202.
Here are some key points from his online address:
The national lockdown reduced an exponential rise
Mkhize said that South Africa has delayed the peak of the outbreak, giving health facilities time to cope.
#LockdownSA helped reduce the spread. Gave country 6 weeks delay in the rate of spread | CORONAVIRUS MONITOR #COVID19
— Corona Virus Monitor (@SACoronaMonitor) April 28, 2020
#SouthAfrica fatality rate for #COVID19 deaths is at 1.9 percent "relatively low," says Mkhize | CORONAVIRUS MONITOR
#lockDownSouthAfrica— Corona Virus Monitor (@SACoronaMonitor) April 28, 2020
217 Cuban doctors arrive in SA
After two weeks spent in quarantine 217 Cuban doctors will be deployed to areas with high local transmissions. 26 Cuban doctors will be deployed to the Western Cape to analyse the outbreak and trends on the ground. Gauteng will have 29, KZN will have 28 and every other province will have some specialists from Cuba.
Yesterday 217 doctors arrived from Cuba to help #COVID19 fight. They have strength in community medication, an area where we #SouthAfrica are weak | CORONAVIRUS MONITOR
— Corona Virus Monitor (@SACoronaMonitor) April 28, 2020
Healthcare workers in SA are a priority
Health minister Mkhize addressed some concerns related to the Cuban doctors and job security for South African healthcare workers. He reiterated that healthcare workers will not lose their jobs due to the Cuban doctors being deployed.
Protective gear for healthcare workers is a moving target, some times there is enough at other times there is a shortage | CORONAVIRUS MONITOR #COVID19#LockdownEnd
— Corona Virus Monitor (@SACoronaMonitor) April 28, 2020
At least 135 of healthcare workers infected with #COVID19 , the number is from both public and private sector. One doctor died in the Free State | CORONAVIRUS MONITOR #lockDownSouthAfrica
— Corona Virus Monitor (@SACoronaMonitor) April 28, 2020
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CORONAVIRUS MONITOR