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By IOL Reporter 
3h ago
Cape Town: A total of 18,503 new cases of Covid-19 have been identified in the country.
The cumulative number of Covid-19 cases now stands at 1,296,806, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said in a statement on Thursday. A total of 18,555 new cases were reported yesterday, after 13,105 new cases were reported on Tuesday. This follows a peak of 21,862 last Friday.
A total of 712 deaths were reported (806 yesterday): Eastern Cape 97, Free State 21, Gauteng 114, KwaZulu-Natal 232, Limpopo 11, Mpumalanga 10, North West 50, Northern Cape 15 and Western Cape 162. This adds up to total number of deaths to 35,852.
The number of recoveries now stands at 1,049,740, representing a recovery rate of 80.9%. A total of 7,433,571 tests have been performed, with 74,830 new tests since the last report.
The KwaZulu-Natal health department has been unable to increase intensive care and high-care beds for Covid-19 patients due to a shortage of nurses and specialist doctors.
Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu, along with department head Dr. Sandile Tshabalala, appeared before the health portfolio committee on Thursday to provide an update on health care services in relation to Covid-19.
Although the department has recorded a total bed occupancy of 56.3%, the impact of the virus has been devastating for health workers, with 1,694 in isolation and 724 in quarantine.
To cope with increased demand and pressure on their facilities, the three largest private hospital groups in South Africa – Mediclinic, Life Healthcare and Netcare – are adding additional staff.
Some of the largest hospital groups in South Africa have begun recruiting retired employees and volunteers as they grapple with increasing Covid-19 cases and staff shortages.
Mediclinic, Life Healthcare, and Netcare were already feeling the financial impact of the pandemic, and their revenues plunged into billions as patients postponed their elective surgeries for fear of contracting Covid.
To cope with increased demand and pressure on its facilities, Mediclinic has begun a formal volunteer recruitment process for community members with no health care experience and others who have previously worked in the industry.
Meanwhile, Cape Town’s most popular Muslim municipal cemetery has run out of space due to Covid-19.
The city of Cape Town said it had allocated additional space for 837 Muslim burials at the Maitland Cemetery after the Klip Road Cemetery in Grassy Park filled up.
The council said it was working with the Muslim Judicial Council to increase burial capacity in the remaining 10 municipal cemeteries with a Muslim allocation. Cape Town also has private Muslim cemeteries.
MESS
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