Category: COVID-19 Corona Virus

The Limpopo COVID-19 Command Council has urged law enforcement and social workers to play their part in helping to prevent gender-based violence.

This comes after a recent spate of killings of young women, reportedly by their lovers.

“A young woman, aged 17, was laid to rest this morning in Mokopane after allegedly being killed by a 19-year-old boy,” the provincial government said on Wednesday.

According to reports, the Grade 12 learner from Ebenezer High School was discovered in a pool of blood on [3 September] after being stabbed several times.

The suspect has since been arrested for murder.

The Command Council has committed to continue to monitor these incidents and has offered to support those in distress. President Cyril Ramaphosa has described the incident of GBV as the “second pandemic” South Africa has to deal with in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

School absenteeism

Meanwhile, the Limpopo Department of Education says while schools are running smoothly after the recent recess to prevent the further spread of Coronavirus, it is still experiencing absenteeism due to the fear of contracting COVID-19, anxiety and other health challenges.

According to the provincial COVID-19 Command Council, all grades are attending classes, in line with the differentiated timetabling model adopted by schools.

Grade 12 learners are scheduled to sit for the National Senior Certificate preliminary exams from this month until the first week of October, while the finals are expected to be written from 5 November to 15 December.

“The department is busy communicating all these adjustments to parents, school governing bodies and schools,” said the council.

COVID-19

The council said it was pleased that the daily COVID-19 infection rate is steadily declining. As of Wednesday, there had been 13 900 cases, with 12 989 patients who have recovered.

Limpopo has 499 active cases and 257 deaths since the outbreak.

“We must clarify the fact that as a province, we did not register 43 deaths in the past 24 hours, as reported elsewhere. The province has actually registered one death in the past 24 hours,” the council said on Wednesday.

The National Department of Health registered 43 cumulative deaths on Monday, which happened over a period, the province clarified.

Meanwhile, the province said it recently received death statistics registered at Home Affairs for 2019, which show a decline from 16 638 to 15 265 this year.

“This is indeed a positive indication that our death rate as a province due to COVID-19 is still low,” the province added.

However, the province is pleading with the community not be complacent, as there is a possibility of a new wave of infections.

The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture has extended the deadline for submission of applications for the 2nd Wave COVID-19 Relief Fund to Friday, 11 September 2020.

Sport, Arts and Culture Minister, Nathi Mthethwa, announced the 2nd Wave COVID–19 Relief application process on 17 August 2020, as a form of assistance to artists, athletes, technical personnel, fitness instructors / practitioners, and the core ecosystem with the objective of softening the economic impact sparked by the COVID–19 pandemic.

In facilitating this process, the department, in collaboration with Business and Arts South Africa (BASA) and the National Arts Council (NAC), committed to reach the wider sectoral audience by using their applications platforms as another facilitation process for prospective applicants to submit their requests for relief.

The department also appealed to the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), the federations, and other sport and recreation bodies to reach out to sports persons to apply for the relief fund.

Initially, the submission of applications for relief deadline was set for 31 August and 02 September 2020 respectively. It was then extended to 09 September 2020 to those who did not complete loading their on-line applications.

However, the department said in light of the application process challenges that are still precipitating, Mthethwa, in consultation with BASA and the NAC, has deemed fit to further extend the submission of relief applications process to 11 September 2020.

“The department is once more making that call to all prospective relief applicants to take note of the window period and urgently submit their applications for processing and also call upon those who are still to finalise the status of their applications to take advantage of the extension and urgently submit,” the department said.

The department appealed to those who are still battling with satisfying the mandatory tax requirement to urgently check their Tax Registration Status with the South African Revenue Services (SARS).

SARS has said that all those potential applicants who are still experiencing challenges can urgently register as taypayers and will be informed of their status or their tax numbers within 24 hours.

To get the required tax documents or register as tax payers, potential applicants should visit https://www.sars.gov.za/ClientSegments/Individuals/TCS/Pages/How-to-request-your-TCS.aspx.

The applicants must be able to provide proof of tax registration to submit their applications.

All sectoral prospective applicants who have commenced with their application process and left them incomplete, can still visit the following platforms and finalise their application process:

• NAC website https://nac.praxisgms.co.za/default.aspx,
• Whatsapp applications on 087 153 1027 under the control of BASA.

As a reminder, the second wave relief caters for the following individuals:

• South Africans working in the sport, arts, culture and heritage sectors,
• Individuals who belong in the sector and do not have a regular / consistent salary source,
• Individuals who rely solely on their creative work as a source of income,
• Their earnings must have been interrupted or impacted upon by the COVID-19 pandemic,
• Applicants who were not beneficiaries of the first relief.

For applicants of the COVID–19 financial relief requests to be successful, the following mandatory documents must accompany all applications:

• Certified copy of South African identity document (ID) with date of certification not older than three months,
• Valid proof of bank account,
• Detailed bank statement showing income earned within the creative sector during the period of 12 months (March 2019 – February 2020),
• A letter from industry body confirming that you are a sectoral practitioner / summary of your profile / portfolio work / copy of your academic achievement,
• Valid tax clearance certificate or tax number.

Sport applications for relief has been equally extended and all prospective applicants should urgently submit their application at www.srsa.gov.za/media/covid-19-sport-relief-funds-2nd-wave.

The closing date is 11 September 2020 and only athletes, coaches, technical support personnel, fitness instructors or practitioners who did not benefit from the first wave are eligible to apply, according to the department.

In relation to the sport relief application, the following mandatory documentation must accompany all applications:

• Certified copy of your South African Identity Document not older than 3 months,
• Bank stamped proof of valid bank account, minimum three months detailed bank statements showing income earned from sport competitions, events, activities and fitness instructor / practitioner services rendered between March 2019 – February 2020 / signed and dated letter from your federation or organisation confirming your sporting activities.

The department noted that if the prospective applicant is a fitness instructor / practitioner, letter, signed and dated from an institution or organisation that one has been providing health and fitness work to date and tax clearance certificate or valid tax number.

All sport applicants who are experiencing challenges in getting their tax compliance documents, they must visit the SARS link and submit their tax clearance certificate requests.

“All available systems will be accepting applications and outstanding documents until Friday, 11 September 2020 at 11:59pm thereafter, the system will then cease to accept applications,” the department said.

COVID-19 cases have jumped to 640 441 after 1 079 new cases were identified on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, 82 more people have succumbed to the disease which brings the death toll to 15 086.

Of the latest deaths, 27 are in KwaZulu-Natal, 20 in the Western Cape and 15 in Gauteng.

Three provinces recorded single-digit fatalities — nine in the Eastern Cape, six in Free State and five in the Northern Cape.

“We extend our condolences to the loved ones of the departed and thank the healthcare workers that treated the deceased patients,” the Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, said.

Also, 567 729 patients have recuperated which translates to a recovery rate of 88.6%.

The data is based on 3 821 162 tests, 12 213 of which were performed since the last report.

Globally, there have been 27 236 916 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 891 031 deaths reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

“The United States of America and Brazil account for nearly three-quarters of all COVID-19 cases in the Americas. Argentina, Colombia, and Peru account for the next largest proportion in new cases in the region,” WHO said.

In the Bahamas, public health and social measures have been extended from mid-August as the island continues to experience an increase in cases (18%) and deaths (15%).

“In the European region, France reported the highest number of new cases in the past seven days with nearly 44 000 cases followed closely by Spain at just over 40 000.”

In the Ukraine, cases are continuing to rise as well in Italy, WHO reported.

The number of COVID-19-related deaths has surpassed the 15 000 mark in South Africa.

This is after 115 more fatalities were reported on Monday, bringing the total to 15 004.

Forty-three were recorded in Limpopo, 25 in KwaZulu-Natal, 13 in the Western Cape, 12 in the Eastern Cape, 10 in the North West, seven in the Free State and five in Gauteng.

“We extend our condolences to the loved ones of the departed and thank the healthcare workers who treated the deceased patients,” Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, said.

Meanwhile, 566 555 patients have recuperated, which translates to a recovery rate of 88.6%.

There are 639 362 confirmed infections since the outbreak, after 846 new cases were identified.

Gauteng remains the epicentre after 213 087 cases were recorded, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 114 904, the Western Cape 107 244 and the Eastern Cape 86 868.

The least affected provinces include the Free State with 39 986 cases, North West 26 294, Mpumalanga 25 125, Limpopo 13 769 and the Northern Cape 12 085.

The data is based on the 3 808 949 tests performed, 8 759 of which were done in the last 24 hours.

In an interview with the SABC’s Morning Live, Mkhize said while the number of infections is reducing, the worst is not yet over.

“We are worried about the resurgence. Globally, we are now at number seven. This tells us two things: one, the numbers are declining in South Africa; two, globally, the numbers are still increasing.”

Mkhize said government is not ready to open the economy completely.

“We are moving in that direction. The economy does need to be opened, however, we will ease into the decrease in restrictions.”

The South African Medical Research Council has reported that there are 41 424 excess deaths between 6 May and 25 August.

However, Mkhize said not all excess deaths are COVID-19 related.

“When our numbers were very high, the number of excess deaths was also high. We are tracking these excess deaths. Unnatural deaths during the lockdown reduced drastically. We are seeing that increase now again,” he said.

Nearly 27 million COVID-19 cases and 900 000 deaths have been reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) to date.

According to WHO, while cases in South Africa have declined for the week ending 6 September, the country continues to report the highest number of cases in the region, accounting for 37% of all new cases.

Other countries reporting a high number of cases include Ethiopia, Algeria, Namibia and Kenya.

Nigeria’s cases have declined by 35%, compared to the previous week from 24 to 30 August, while the number of reported deaths increased by 200%.

South Africa recorded 1 633 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday compared to 1 806 on Saturday.

According to the Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, there are now 638 517 cumulative confirmed cases since the country recorded its first case in March 2020.

Meanwhile, 110 more people succumbed to the novel Coronavirus which brings the death toll to 14 889.

Of the additional fatalities, 38 are in Mpumalanga, 31 in KwaZulu-Natal, 24 in Gauteng, nine in the Free State, seven in the Eastern Cape and one in the Western Cape.

Also, 563 891 patients have recuperated, while 3 800 190 have been tested of which 16 367 were performed in the last 24 hours.

Gauteng remains the hardest-hit province with 212 898 cases followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 114 824, Western Cape 107 187 and the Eastern Cape with 86 849 cases.

The least affected provinces are the Free State with 39 781 cases, North West 26 245, Mpumalanga 25 076, Limpopo 13 734 and the Northern Cape with 11 923 cases.

World ranking

The Minister said government is encouraged to see some key indicators showing improvement in the state of the pandemic in the country.

“In the world ranking of a total number of cases per country, we have dropped from the fifth position to seventh position,” Mkhize wrote on Friday.

Decline in active cases, unnatural deaths

In addition, the number of active cases is steadily declining, while there is a high recovery rate stands at 88%.

“The testing positivity rate continues to decline as well, now at 11% nationally on the 12th  of July, corresponding more or less with the peak of our pandemic, we recorded the highest positivity rate at 30%.”

Despite South Africa ranked seventh in terms of the number of positive cases, the country has the 13th highest death toll in the world.

Meanwhile, the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) reported that unnatural deaths continue to drop although this decline has slowed down.

“On the other hand, it would be remiss of me not to inform the public that the same report indicated that unnatural deaths have increased following the easing of alcohol restrictions – unnatural deaths now exceed the SAMRC predicted number,” he added.

Social distancing

Mkhize said government is “very concerned” to see videos on social media of people hosting large parties and going to shebeens, taverns and bars and violating the curfew.

The Minister is pleading with citizens to continue observing health protocols such as social distancing, wearing of masks, sanitising and washing of hands.

“We also caution against sharing of drinks, cigarettes, cigars, shisha pipes or ‘hubbly bubbly’ and so on. Be aware that if you do this you have directly put yourself at risk,” he added.

Mkhize has also warned that the threat of a second wave remains “very real”.

“We wish to plead with South Africans to adhere to the curfew and not to drink excessively and irresponsibly.”

Globally, there have been 26 763 217 confirmed cases of COVID-19 including 876 616 deaths reported to the World Health Organisation.

The Western Cape Department of Social Development (DSD) has recorded an increase in COVID-19 recoveries and a decline in the number of infections across old age homes in the province.

The province, which was once the epicentre of the novel Coronavirus, said it would continue to monitor infection rates by monitoring strict health and safety protocols.

The Shadow Minister of the DSD for the Western Cape, Sharna Fernandez, has thanked all the elderly people who are currently residing at the funded and unfunded facilities, and their families for the role that they have played in preventing the further spread of the virus.

“I am cognisant of the challenges this pandemic has posed for all those people who live and work at old age homes. One particular challenge is that many older persons have not been able to visit or have family members visit them for months,” she said.

There are 300 nursing homes, 117 of which are funded by the provincial DSD.

According to the department, 1 430 pensioners recovered from COVID-19, while 100 were reported to still be infected by the virus as of 31 August.

“This shows an increase of 72 recoveries and a decrease of eight infections compared to last week,” the provincial department said.

The province’s oldest resident, who currently lives at the Kensington Old Age Home, Dinah Fourie, 102, also beat COVID-19 and is fully recovered after testing positive.

“This is just one of the many success stories of hope and a story that highlights that when we all join hands to fight towards a common goal, much can be achieved,” Fernandez said.

The provincial department has reiterated its commitment to ensuring that the rights and dignity of older citizens across the province are protected.

“If family members or staff working at these facilities believe there are cases of ill-treatment, we urge you to report it to our department so that the matter can be followed up,” said Fernandez.

The department has also developed mechanisms for monitoring of services in residential facilities and community-based centres.

“Additional services being offered by the department include the protection of the rights of older persons to be free from elder abuse, mindful of the various economic circumstances that impact negatively on the quality of life and well-being of older persons,” the department said.

The provincial DSD has budgeted R 250 million towards services for the elderly.

“Over and above this support, the department has also reprioritised funding to ensure that various services and facilities, both funded and unfunded, are equipped with the necessary resources to prevent further spread of the COVID-19.”

An additional R 1.7 million has been made available for old age homes for the management of the pandemic.

The department has also distributed 150 000 masks, 5 000 shield masks, 10 000 bars of soap and 18 000 all-purpose cleaner bottles and 50 litres of sanitisers per home across the province.

They also deployed volunteers to deep clean with a focus on homes in vulnerable communities and hotspot areas.

Fernandez is once again encouraging the public to frequently wash their hands and wear masks when leaving their homes.

“It is also crucial to clean all surfaces around you – whether at home or work. Let’s do everything we can to ensure that we stop the further spread of the virus and protect those who are older and live with high-risk comorbidities,” Fernandez said.

The number of people that have contracted the novel Coronavirus has climbed to 630 595 after 2 336 new cases were recorded on Wednesday.

Gauteng remains the epicentre with 211 157 cases, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 113 661, the Western Cape with 106 353 and the Eastern Cape with 86 322.

The provinces with the least number of infections include Free State with 38 473 cases, North West with 25 604, Mpumalanga with 24 605, Limpopo with 13 400 and Northern Cape with 11 020.

Meanwhile, Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, reported 126 new COVID-19-related deaths.

Forty-nine are in Gauteng, 29 in the Eastern Cape, 16 in the Western Cape, 15 in the Free State, 12 in KwaZulu-Natal and five in the Northern Cape, bringing the cumulative number of deaths to 14 389.

“The total number of tests conducted to date is 3 726 721 with 21 313 new tests conducted since the last report, ” Mkhize said in his statement.

Also, 553 456 patients have been cured which translates to a recovery rate of 87%.

Globally, there have been 25 602 665 confirmed cases of COVID-19 including 852 758 deaths reported to the World Health Organisation.

South Africa reported 114 new COVID-19 related deaths on Tuesday, bringing the death toll to 14 263 since the outbreak in March.

Of the new additional fatalities, 39 are from Gauteng, 20 from the Western Cape, 18 from the North West, 13 from KwaZulu-Natal, 10 from Mpumalanga and seven from the Eastern Cape and Free State, respectively.

In addition, there are now 628 259 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country after 1 218 new cases were identified.

Gauteng has 210 518 cases, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 113 237, Western Cape 106 114 and Eastern Cape 86 217.

The Free State has 38 125 cases, North West 25 390, Mpumalanga 24 470, Limpopo 13 301 and Northern Cape 10 837.

Fifty remain unallocated.

Meanwhile, the recovery rate now stands at 87% after 549 993 people recuperated.

The data is based on the 3 705 408 test conducted, 11 687 of which were conducted in the last 24 hours.

Globally, there have been 25 327 098 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 848 255 deaths reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

According to WHO, several countries in Africa that were previous COVID-19 hotspots have recorded a reduction in case incidence, including Ghana, Kenya, Gabon and Madagascar.

“While the observed declining trends are encouraging, the figures should be interpreted cautiously, as they may be affected by many factors, including the current testing capacity and strategy, and delays in reporting,” WHO explained.

The agency said South Africa has the fifth-highest number of COVID-19 infections globally and the highest number in Africa.

“However, there has been a marked decline in new cases since they peaked on 25 July at 13 944 cases, and the downward trend has continued this week, with new cases falling by 34%. As a result, government has eased public health and social measures, while reminding the public to remain vigilant,” WHO said.

South Africa now has 627 041 cumulative cases of COVID-19 after 1 985 new infections were identified on Monday.

The death toll has jumped to 14 149 after 121 people succumbed to the respiratory disease.

Of the additional fatalities, 24 were in the Western Cape, 23 in Limpopo, 20 in the Eastern Cape and Gauteng, respectively, and 16 in Free State.

Three provinces recorded single-digit daily deaths – nine in the Northern Cape, eight in the North West and one in KwaZulu-Natal.

“We convey our condolences to the loved ones of the departed and thank the healthcare workers who treated the deceased,” Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, said.

The provinces with the highest number of infections include Gauteng with 210 169 cases, KwaZulu-Natal 113 006, Western Cape 106 021 and Eastern Cape 86 163.

The Free State has 37 888 cases, North West 25 348, Mpumalanga 24 405, Limpopo 13 265 and Northern Cape 10 726.

Fifty remain unallocated.

The Western Cape has the most deaths at 3 893, followed by Gauteng with 3 592, Eastern Cape 2 896 and KwaZulu-Natal 2 139.

“The number of recoveries currently stands at 540 923, which translates to a recovery rate of 86%,” Mkhize said.

The information is based on the 3 693 721 tests performed since the outbreak, 18 849 of which were done in the last 24 hours.

Globally, there have been 25 118 689 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 844 312 deaths reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

On Monday, WHO published the first indicative survey on the impact of COVID-19 on health systems, based on 105 countries’ reports.

The information collected from five regions, from March to June 2020, illustrates that almost every country (90%) experienced disruption to its health services, with low- and middle-income countries experiencing the greatest difficulties.

WHO said most countries reported that many routine and elective services have been suspended, while critical care – such as cancer screening and treatment and HIV therapy – has seen high-risk interruptions in low-income countries.

The most frequently disrupted areas reported included routine immunisation – outreach services (70%) and facility-based services (61%), non-communicable diseases diagnosis and treatment (69%), family planning and contraception (68%), treatment for mental health disorders (61%), cancer diagnosis and treatment (55%).

“The survey shines a light on the cracks in our health systems, but it also serves to inform new strategies to improve healthcare provision during the pandemic and beyond,” WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said.

He said COVID-19 should be a lesson to all countries that health is not an “either-or” equation.

“We must better prepare for emergencies but also keep investing in health systems that fully respond to people’s needs throughout the life course,” Ghebreyesus said.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that while people are experiencing pandemic fatigue, the COVID-19 pandemic is not over.

“WHO fully supports efforts to re-open economies and societies. We want to see children returning to school and people returning to the workplace – but we want to see it done safely.

“At the same time, no country can just pretend the pandemic is over. The reality is that Coronavirus spreads easily. It can be fatal to people of all ages, and most people remain susceptible,” said WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, on Monday.

Eight months into the pandemic, countries have started opening up their societies and economies again after months of restrictive stay-at-home orders and other restrictions to combat the spread of Coronavirus.

WHO has warned countries against applying a blanket approach to opening up economic activities without suppressing transmission and saving lives.

“It can be done, and it has been done. But it can only be done if countries are in control of transmission. The more control countries have over the virus, the more they can open up.

“Opening up without having control is a recipe for disaster. It’s not a one size fits all, it’s not all or nothing,” said Ghebreyesus.

WHO urged countries to implement four essential things that all communities and individuals must focus on to take control.

First, prevent amplifying events. COVID-19 spreads very easily among clusters of people.

In many countries, explosive outbreaks have been linked to gatherings of people at stadiums, nightclubs, places of worship and in other crowds.

“Preventing these amplifying events is essential, but there are ways to hold gatherings safely in some places.

“Decisions about how and when to allow gatherings of people must be taken with a risk-based approach in the local context,” said Ghebreyesus.

Second, reduce deaths by protecting vulnerable groups, including older people, those with underlying conditions and essential workers.

“Countries that do this well may be able to cope with low levels of transmission as they open up.

“By protecting those who are most at risk, countries can save lives, prevent people from becoming severely ill, and take the pressure off their health systems,” said Ghebreyesus.

Third, WHO called on individuals to play their part by taking the measures of staying at least one metre away from others, cleaning hands regularly, practising respiratory etiquette, and wearing a mask.

“Avoid the three Cs: closed spaces, crowded places and close-contact settings.”

Fourth, WHO implored governments to take tailored actions to find, isolate, test and care for cases, and trace and quarantine contacts.

“Widespread stay-at-home orders can be avoided if countries take temporary and geographically-targeted interventions,” said Ghebreyesus.