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South Africa has reported a staggering 14,046 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours alone.
The ‘Quinton’ robot is being used at Tygerberg Hospital to reduce the risk of healthcare workers being exposed to COVID-19. Image: supplied
CAPE TOWN / JOHANNESBURG – The Western Cape Health Department is desperately trying to provide more beds for COVID-19 patients as the new variant of the virus sweeps across the nation like wildfire.
The province currently has the highest number of active cases and authorities say they are seeing around 570 hospital admissions in public and private facilities every day.
The province suggested earlier this week that the peak would likely reach in the first week of January, but that could change.
Western Cape Health’s Sadiq Karrim says the rate of increase in new infections is alarming.
“Cases continue to grow exponentially and that is why we are trying to quickly add additional beds online to the service platform. It’s hard to say at this point when that peak will be, be it early or mid-January, but right now we are seeing a very exponential increase in our cases and hospitalizations.
# COVID-19 Statistics in SA as of December 23.
Use the COVID Alert SA app to protect yourself, your loved ones, and your community. Start using this privacy-preserving app today! Add your phone to the fight! Download the Covid Alert SA app now! https://t.co/8YKEqaiiRF pic.twitter.com/G8RLi1iKKX
Dr. Zweli Mkhize (@DrZweliMkhize) December 23, 2020
Today we report, with concern, a cumulative total of 954 258 cases of # COVID-19, with 14 046 new
cases identified since the last report with a positivity rate of 26%. pic.twitter.com/uVCn0YfEeODr. Zweli Mkhize (@DrZweliMkhize) December 23, 2020
At the same time, the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) said research is still needed to establish the severity of the new variant driving the second wave of COVID-19 infections in the county.
South Africa has reported a staggering 14,046 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours alone.
KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape and Gauteng account for the majority of cases.
Institute professor Adrian Puren said it was extremely critical that South Africans obey lockdown restrictions.
“We would like to test the serum, as we call it, of this particular variant to see if binding and prevention of infection can be achieved.”
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