SA’s Covid-19 infection rate lower than the global average

The rate of Covid-19 infections is lower than the global one, according to the acting director-general of the department of health, Dr Anban Pillay.

At a press briefing on Saturday with Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Trade and Industry Minister Ebrahim Patel, Pillay said currently, the trend suggested about 3% of people, who were tested, were positive.

This has been the trend since testing started.

“That is way lower than the global experience, which has been much higher at around 10%.”

Pillay said globally, about 5% of infections were serious – meaning they needed to be in intensive care units.

“In South Africa, this number seems to be much lower. Currently, we’re at below 3% in most cases.

“We’re anticipating that we’ll be able to keep it at this level, but we’re aware that globally, these rates are higher at about 5 to 6%, and our plans are linked to those numbers.”

Responding to a question from a reporter from an international news outlet who wanted statistics on the ethnicity of Covid-19 patients, Pillay said: “There has been no specific trend related to ethnicity.”

Minister in the Presidency Jackson Mthembu said the government’s responsibility was the well-being of all the people of South Africa.

“This disease doesn’t know colour. It doesn’t know whether you are poor or rich.

“Our responsibility is for all the people to be safe. Our responsibility is for all the people of our country,” he added.

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