South Africa’s 10 new Covid-19 deaths on Saturday came from the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, and Gauteng, data released by Health Minister Zweli Mkhize shows. The three provinces currently have the highest number of cases in the country.
The Western and Eastern Cape accounted for 1 038 (85.2 percent) of the 1 218 new cases reported on Saturday.
Deaths and recoveries
With 261 deaths, the Western Cape is also responsible for just over 64 percent of the country’s Covid-19 related fatalities.
Across the country, 10 104 patients have recovered from Covid-19, Mkhize’s office said.
Saturday’s big jump in infections comes as South Africa prepares to ease down to level 3 lockdown in the coming days.
On Sunday President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the nation to provide an update on developments in South Africa’s risk-adjusted strategy to manage the spread of Covid-19, the presidency said.
LATEST BREAKDOWN
The brigade of Cuban healthcare professionals who arrived n South Africa earlier this month the assist with the fight against the coronavirus has completed the mandatory 14-day quarantine period and a team has already arrived in KwaZulu-Natal. Another team is set to arrive in the Western Cape on Sunday.
Medicine shortages
Meanwhile, the Weekend Argus on Saturday reported that supplies of antiretroviral drugs, contraceptives and anti-infection medication was running low at pharmacies across the country.
“Covid-19 is consuming existing resources globally, so drug manufacturers are now manufacturing supplies that are needed in the Covid-19 response, so the usual drug supply is disrupted,” Ruth Dube, the co-ordinator for the Stop Stockouts Project said. The project is the brainchild of six NGOs and
monitors the availability of critical medication in order to assist patients whose lives are threatened by shortages of essential medication.
Part of the reason for some of these medications being in short supply could be the decision by Minister Mkhize to extend prescriptions for chronic medications during the lockdown, the report said.
