Covid-19: It’s been one year since the first case
The first Covid-19 case in South Africa was reported today (5 March) exactly one year ago.
Many things can happen in one year and South Africans, as well as the rest of the world, can attest to that. The first Covid-19 case in South Africa was reported exactly one year ago on 5 March 2020.
The patient was a 38-year-old man who travelled to Italy with his wife. They were part of a group of 10 people and they arrived back in South Africa on 1 March 2020. The number of Covid-19 cases reported quickly increased from there onwards, and South Africa went into a full national lockdown a little more than three weeks later, at midnight on 26 March 2020.
South Africans had no way to prepare themselves for the extent of the challenges and job losses that would arise from the lockdown which, needless to say, made 2020 one of the most difficult years for the country.
In the midst of this turbulent year, the Jerusalema challenge was born.
Jerusalema is a song by South African DJ and record producer Master KG, which features the vocals of Nomcebo Zikode. South Africans found strength and hope in this song, and came together as a nation to show that no matter the challenges we face, we will always find hope.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, in an address to the nation, encouraged the country to take part in this challenge on Heritage Day, 24 September.
The Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation also partook in this challenge. Watch here:
A year on – where South Africa stands today in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic
South Africans breathed a sigh of relief last week, 28 February, when the country was moved from Alert Level 3 to Alert Level 1.
Exactly one year after the first Covid-19 case was reported in South Africa, the total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in South Africa stands at 1 517 666. The total number of tests conducted to date is 9 178 323.
The country has recorded 96 more Covid-19 related deaths:
- 5 in the Eastern Cape
- 25 in the Free State
- 27 in Gauteng
- 17 in KwaZulu Natal
- 1 in Limpopo
- 2 in Mpumalanga
- 1 in the Northern Cape
- 18 in the Western Cape
This brings the total to 50 462 deaths.
The recoveries from Covid-19 in the country now stands at 1 436 010, representing a recovery rate of 94,6 per cent.
South Africa’s vaccination programme
Another ray of hope for the country was the Covid-19 vaccination programme.
After the initial setback with the Oxford University AstraZeneca vaccines which showed to have minimal protection against mild to moderate Covid-19 infection from the B.1.351 coronavirus variant identified in South Africa, the country received an initial 80 000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which has been shown to be effective against the variant.
President Cyril Ramaphosa and Minister of Health, Zweli Mkhize, joined the first group of healthcare workers in Cape Town to be vaccinated against Covid-19 on 17 February.
The country has administered 92 029 vaccinations to healthcare workers as of 18:30 on 4 March.
Local scientists discovered that the 501Y.V2 variant gives immunity to other Covid-19 variants
Earlier this week it was announced that local scientists discovered those who have been infected by the new South African Covid-19 variant in the second wave are now immune to other variants of the virus. The 501Y.V2 variant was able to neutralise itself from other variants, including the variant which circulated in the first wave.
Read more on this here: Infection by 501Y.V2 variant gives immunity to other Covid-19 variants
*Notice: Coronavirus reporting at Caxton Local Media aims to combat fake news
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Read original story on krugersdorpnews.co.za
