Mkhize says it is still too early to tell Africa’s Covid-19 mortality rate

Due to the fact that Africa only began recording cases much later than other continents, it is still too early to get an accurate picture of the Covid-19 mortality rate on the continent.

This is according to Health Minister Zweli Mkhize who was speaking at a virtual briefing on the latest infection, testing and recovering statistics in South Africa on Thursday. The meeting was also attended by experts such as World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti and Professor Kojo Ansah Koram, an epidemiologist from Ghana.

To date, Africa has 38,826 Covid-19 cases.

Moeti said while cases on the continent are still on the increase, the steps being taken by other countries in the fight against Covid-19 are encouraging.

“We have a number of countries that have reported zero cases over a couple of weeks. These are admittedly relatively small countries – Namibia, Mauritania and the Seychelles, but they have put in place some early measures starting with testing, [and] contact tracing which have produced some results,” said Moeti.

However, the Government News Agency reports that she expressed concern about the situation in West Africa.

“We are very concerned about West Africa, where we are seeing community spread in a significant number of countries compared to others. We are working with the United Nations to see how to support that,” she added.

Moeti also noted that WHO recognises that these are not easy decisions to make at a political and policy level but she urged countries to try and “strike a balance.”

“We encourage the use of data so that when a government decides not to lockdown a city, they need to be aware that there will be consequences in terms of the spread of the virus.”

According to Mkhize, current trends in South Africa show that most of the patients, who have succumbed to the virus, had underlying comorbidities such as cardiovascular diseases, pulmonary and renal diseases, HIV and immune-comprised situations due to cancers.

The majority of the people who lost their lives have also been above 60.

With governments worldwide confronted with tough decisions on ways to combat the spread of the virus, Mkhize said the country is going forward with its preparedness strategy.

“Our preparedness needs to be focused on creating triage centres in hospitals, clinics, so that people who walk into hospitals or clinics, who have respiratory symptoms, must be separated from the rest of the people,” said the minister.

Currently, South Africa has 30 people in intensive care units due to the virus and about 15 are on ventilators. The majority of people, who are infected, are in isolation at home.

RELATED: Limpopo is overstating the number of people tested for virus – DA

Mkhize said the creation of triage centres will assist government to contain the spread of the virus, whilst protecting other patients housed at the country’s health facilities.

With the country’s Covid-19 infections expected to peak in September, Mkhize said government is looking to set up field hospital beds to ensure that asymptomatic patients, who do not need treatment but are still infective, do not return to overcrowded communities, where they can potentially spread the virus.

This after a Facebook post from an Eastern Cape resident accusing the department of health of being careless went viral.

Following the death of a relative, Ntuthuzelo Eugene took to Facebook to express his anger at the fact that government advises people who either have or the Coronovirus or may have been exposed to it to take it upon themselves to self-quarantine at home.

This is the same advice that was given to an uncle of his who tested positive for Covid-19 shortly after Eugene’s aunt lost her life after contracting the disease.

“Listen to this everybody in that village visit them everyday to simpathise [sic] with them including the mother of the grandson who cooks for them everyday. It means the people in that village I guess they were not told how serious the virus is. If they knew they wouldn’t go there at all,” wrote Eugene.

“I am so so furious worse to be told a report that was given to the premier that they were taken to the hospital whereas they are at home. A certain Director lied I want him to account for this nonsense baqhelile uxoka,” he added before demanding that the health department looks into the situation.

READ NEXT: Western Cape continues to lead spread as Covid-19 total reaches 5,647

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.