Covid-19 update: Karim against large gatherings, field hospital closes
Professor Salim Karim has warned against easing restrictions preventing large gatherings of people. Briefly.co.za explores the latest on the Covid-19 pandemic.
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With the nation preparing for President Ramaphosa to announce lockdown relaxations, Professor Salim Karim has warned against rushing to open up the country.
However, cases are slowly decreasing and Premier Alan Winde has announced the closure of a field hospital in his province.
Briefly.co.za explores the latest news on the pandemic below:
1. Karim warns against allowing large gatherings
Ministerial advisory committee chairperson Professor Salim Karim has cautioned against easing the restriction prohibiting large gatherings.
This comes as a migration to Level 2 of the national lockdown seems increasingly likely with President Cyril Ramaphosa expected to address SA soon.
While Karim is optimistic about the decline in Covid-19 cases, he has warned rushing to lift restrictions could cause another wave of infections. Speaking to eNCA, the expert pointed out that numerous countries had rushed to relax lockdowns only to reimplement hard restrictions due to a spike in cases.
Source: UGC
READ ALSO: ANC Women's League: Don't lift tobacco, liquor lockdown bans
2. Winde: CTICC field hospital to be closed
Premier Alan Winde has announced that the Cape Town International Convention Centre will be decommissioned in a few weeks' time.
The venue was turned into a temporary Covid-19 facility in May but, with cases in the region decreasing, is going to be closed.
Brackengate field hospital will now be used with Winde noting that the facility had the required capacity to accommodate Covid-19 patients.
Provincial authorities will organise a special event to thank healthcare workers who helped save lives at the temporary hospital.
3. Mkhize updates SA on latest statistics
Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize has provided South Africans with the latest statistics on the Covid-19 pandemic.
In a statement issued on Thursday evening, the Health Ministry confirmed the number of new infections:
"As of today, a cumulative total of 572 865 confirmed Covid-19 cases in South Africa have been recorded."
Unfortunately, the nation continues to record fatalities with the death toll rising to 11 270:
"Regrettably we report a further 260 Covid-19-related deaths - 68 from Eastern Cape, 62 in the Free State, 30 from Gauteng, 39 from KZN, 14 from Limpopo, 18 in Mpumalanga, 21 from Western Cape and 8 from Northern Cape. This brings the total Covid-19-related cumulative deaths to 11 270."
However, Mkhize confirmed that the recovery rate in SA remains high, commenting that:
"The recoveries now stand at 437 617, which translates to a recovery rate of 76%."
Provincial breakdown of Covid-19 cases:
- Eastern Cape - 83 002
- Free State - 30 049
- Gauteng - 195 820
- KwaZulu-Natal - 102 233
- Limpopo - 11 019
- Mpumalanga - 20 111
- North West - 22 483
- Northern Cape - 7 122
- Western Cape - 100 976
Meanwhile, Briefly.co.za reported that ANC Women's League president Bathabile Dlamini has come out in firm support of the ban on liquor and tobacco amid the Covid-19 national lockdown.
This stance on the matter has been submitted by the organisation to the National Coronavirus Command Council, reiterating a stance voiced earlier this year.
In this submission, the ANCWL listed health risks associated with smoking and questioned the wisdom of unbanning tobacco:
“We also take into consideration that most of the smokers who don't have money, have a tendency of sharing a cigarette and thus having a potential of increasing infection as those who might be Covid-19 positive will leave droplets of saliva on the filters of cigarettes to be shared with the next person.
"It will be difficult or impractical to regulate not sharing of cigarettes. With these available scientific facts on the dangers of tobacco, what informed the decision of unbanning the selling of cigarettes while fighting the Covid-19?”
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Source: Briefly News
