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By Karen Singh 
17h ago
Durban – The second wave of Covid-19 sweeping the country has claimed the lives of nuns from the Daughters of St. Francis in Port Shepstone, Diocese of Marianhill, in just over a week.
The Consecrated Life Leadership Conference of South Africa (LCCLSA) announced the deaths on Friday.
LCCLSA President Nkhensani Shibambu said members of the organization were shocked and saddened by the deaths of Elmara Skhakhane, Leonissa Nzimande, 78, Colleta Msomi, 78, Anastasia Mthetwa, 86, Amara Madlala, 75, Edmunda Nkomo, 80 , and Helen Cele, 88.
“In a time and season of advent hope, this certainly comes as a deep wound to the church, the congregation, and the conference at large,” he said.
Shibambu said the nuns had died in a period of just over a week, between December 10 and 18, 2020.
“Fifteen other sisters are said to be seriously ill,” she said.
He said their deaths were a reminder that the Covid-19 infection rate had continued to rise and was devastating communities and society at large.
“We send not only messages of consolation to the congregation of the Daughters of St. Francis, but we also urge all congregations and religious communities to be more vigilant and cautious in light of the deadly and subtle second wave of the pandemic,” Shibambu said.
Shibambu said that no one was immune.
“The least we can do is continue to adhere to Covid-19 prevention and containment security protocols, especially when most people and communities gather for the holiday season celebration and beyond.
This comes as KZN’s Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (Krisp) announced the emergence and rapid spread of a Sars-CoV-2 virus mutation.
Krisp said that Sars-CoV-2 was found in 10 different health facilities in six KZN districts from October 15 to November 25.
Health Minister Zweli Mkhize announced two weeks ago that South Africa had entered a second wave of the virus as the number of reported Covid-19 cases increased.
As of December 19, KZN had registered a total of 154,535 cases, an increase of more than 2,900 cases since the previous report.
In June, Independent Online reported that five Eastern Cape Catholic nuns had died within a week.
The nuns belonged to the diocese of Mthatha.
Three of the nuns were from Mthatha and one from Matatiele.
The Mercury
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