Mediclinic Says 25% of Covid 19 Patients Are Vaccinated, Very Few Need to Be Admitted to Hospital

• Mediclinic Southern Africa has announced that the majority of its Covid-19 patients are unvaccinated
• However, fewer patients have required hospital admission during the fourth wave than in previous waves
• More children under 12 years of age have been brought to the group's hospitals during the fourth wave so far

JOHANNESBURG - Mediclinic Southern Africa has reported that only a quarter of its Covid-19 patients have been vaccinated against the coronavirus, but that only a few Covid-19 patients who come to the Emergency Room need to be admitted.

The hospital group said that there are more children under the age of 12 who are being brought to their hospitals due to Covid-19 and that many patients are asymptomatic and initially go to the hospital for other medical reasons, only to find out they are Covid-positive when they are tested there.

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However, Dr Gerrit De Villiers, the hospital group's Chief Clinical Officer, has said that the child Covid-19 patients are generally not experiencing severe symptoms.

The variant and the fourth wave

The South African Medical Association (SAMA) has told hospitals to prepare their facilities for the fourth wave, as they may require additional beds and staff members on duty, SABC News reports.

According to News24, De Villiers said that the Omicron variant has thus far presented as highly transmissible, but fewer Covid-19 patients have been requiring ventilators and intensive care than in previous waves.

De Villiers added that Mediclinic's hospitals have managed to accommodate all patients who needed treatment so far and are working to ensure they have all the resources to weather the fourth wave.

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Reactions to Mediclinic's statement

@reiniebooysen said:

"Keen to know what's happening at the coalface where omicron is spreading around Joburg. This is the story from Mediclinic -- a very serious and major private hospital operator. Stay calm world, stop the crazy panic!"

@SonBeam12 believes:

"I'm starting to think we should all be actively trying to catch this variant."

@_thebard1 shared:

"Majority of population is not yet vaccinated. Obviously then majority of infections and admissions will be unvaccinated people. It's basic statistics. Not confirmation of efficacy of vaccine."

@atkinsmike1 remarked

"That sounds a bit like saying that only those people who had unprotected sex get AIDS, so why should we worry about them."

@FOEsword asked:

"If the vaccine works. Why do people with a natural immunity be vaccinated?"

SA's Covid-19 stats skewed following 17k dumped tests

Previously Briefly News reported that health officials included 17 718 historic Covid-19 cases on 22 November, which incorrectly skewed the data and statistics for the day as it gave the impression of a spike in cases.

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Between 21 and 22 November, there were actually 868 new cases and not the 18 586 new cases that were reported. These inflated numbers caused concern, not only to South Africans but the global community at large.

They have analysed data from the Department of Health to investigate the true Covid-19 statistics. The spike on 23 November, caused by the previous day's incorrect reporting, added to the fears western countries felt when Omicron was discovered.

Source: Briefly News