Category: Health Care

In an effort to counter the increase in the number of COVID-19 infections, President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that the country will be placed on Adjusted Alert Level 2 with effect from Monday.

Addressing the nation on Sunday evening on the developments in the country’s response to the pandemic, the President said the Ministerial Advisory Committee on COVID-19 has recommended that the country urgently implement further restrictions.

“It bases this recommendation on the sustained increase in new cases in the last 14 days; increased hospital admissions in almost all provinces and an increase in the proportion of COVID tests that are positive.

“Further restrictions are necessary to ensure that health facilities are not overwhelmed and that lives that could be saved are not lost,” President Ramaphosa said.

The President’s address follows meetings in recent days of the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC), the President’s Coordinating Council (PCC) and Cabinet.

“Delaying the spread of the virus is especially important now to allow as many people as possible to be vaccinated before the third wave reaches its peak,” the President said.

With the tighter restrictions, the hours of curfew will start at 11pm and end at 4am.

“Non-essential establishments like restaurants, bars and fitness centres will need to close by 10pm. This is to allow their employees and patrons to travel home before the start of the curfew,” Ramaphosa said.

All gatherings will be limited to a maximum of 100 people indoors and 250 people outdoors.

“Where the venue is too small to accommodate these numbers with appropriate social distancing, then no more than 50% of the capacity of the venue may be used.

“This includes religious services, political events and social gatherings, as well as restaurants, bars, taverns and similar places,” the President said.

Funerals remain restricted to no more than 100 people, and, as before, night vigils, after-funeral gatherings and ‘after-tears’ gatherings are not allowed.

Several important measures remain in place.

“It remains mandatory for every person to wear a face mask that covers their nose and mouth at all times when in public spaces. It is a criminal offence not to do so.

“The owners and managers of public buildings, centres, shops, restaurants, taxis and buses all have a responsibility to ensure that people on their premises or in their vehicles wear masks, and that the appropriate social distancing measures are in place,” the President said.

Those who test positive for COVID-19 must self-isolate at home for a period of 10 days from when they first develop symptoms.

“If you have been in contact with a person who has COVID-19, you must also self-quarantine for a period of 10 days following your exposure, even if you do not show any symptoms.

“Identifying and isolating all contacts of a positive case is our best mechanism to prevent the virus from spreading further, and so it is very important that we all obey the rules for isolation and quarantine,” the President said.

Citizens urged to continue to observe health protocols

The President reiterated that citizens should observe all the health protocols by wearing a mask, observe social distancing and ensure proper ventilation.

“While the country is headed towards a third wave of infections, we do not yet know how severe this wave will be or for how long it will last.

“According to the scientists that advise government, the severity of this third wave will largely be determined by the amount of contact each of us has with other people,” the President said.

He advised South Africans to cut down their contacts during this time, wherever it is possible.

“That may mean postponing social engagements, avoiding public spaces and not travelling unless absolutely necessary. Gatherings are the greatest sources of transmission, whether its weddings, funerals, social parties, religious services, political meetings or simply gatherings of family and friends,” the President said.

The President urged citizens to avoid indoor spaces, as Coronavirus is spread through the air when a person speaks, coughs or sneezes.

“If you need to meet someone, including a member of your family, it is safer to do so outside in a well-ventilated space. Those who are at particular risk, including the elderly and those with comorbidities, should exercise caution and should limit their contacts as much as possible.

“If each of us makes this effort now, we will help to flatten the curve of infections. We will reduce the pressure on our hospitals, and, in doing so, we will save many lives,” the President said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

NELSPRUIT – Seven suspects, aged between 25 and 60, are due to appear before the Piet Retief Magistrate’s Court tomorrow, Monday, 31 May 2021. The suspects are facing two counts of murder as well as attempted murder, kidnapping and defeating the ends of justice after three men were reportedly assaulted near a farm at Dirkiesdorp on 09 August 2020, where two succumbed to their injuries whilst the other survived.

Their court appearance comes after an intensive investigation into a matter where three Thwala brothers driving in a red Toyota Corolla between Dirkiesdorp and Driefontein were accused of stealing sheep. It all erupted when their vehicle got stuck after getting a puncture. The trio then went out of the vehicle to try and sort out the problem. Two other vehicles with the said suspects reportedly emerged and started questioning the three men.

The victims were then allegedly tied up before being assaulted to a point where two died. The third one sustained serious injuries but survived the ordeal. The matter was then reported to police and an investigation into the matter ensued until a breakthrough was made when the seven men were arrested on Friday, 28 May 2021.

Meanwhile a similar case of murder was reported on 15 April 2021, which has been postponed to 10 June 2021 and it involves two Coka brothers who had reportedly gone to the farm at Dirkiesdorp in search of employment. The victims, Zenzele and Mgcini Coka were sadly murdered whilst another man was kidnapped and assaulted. Five suspects were fingered and arrested by police at the scene shortly after the incident. Three of those suspects are also linked to the murder incident of the Thwala brothers.

The five suspects on the Coka brothers matter were granted R10 000 bail each at the same court.

The police management in the province, led by Major General Thulani Phahla, Acting Provincial Commissioner of SAPS in Mpumalanga, has since called for calm amidst these developments. “We urge members of the public to allow a space for the law to take its course and not to resort to violence. The state has proven its determination to ensure that no stone will be left unturned in dealing with any criminal activities,” concluded General Phahla.

Source: South African Police Service

President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the nation at 19h00 today on developments in the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The President’s address follows meetings in recent days of the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC), the President’s Coordinating Council (PCC) and Cabinet.

“As South Africa rolls out its national COVID-19 vaccination programme, government and social partners are continuously monitoring infection, treatment and patient recovery rates, as well as compliance with health regulations and other prevention measures,” said the Presidency.

The President’s address will be broadcast and streamed on a range of platforms that are accessible to South Africans and international audiences.

Source: South African Government News Agency

South Africa has vaccinated more than 67% of public healthcare workers, says President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Addressing the nation on the developments in the country’s response to the pandemic, the President said the health workers received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which only requires a single dose.

Two weeks ago, the country started the second phase of the vaccination programme, targeting the balance of health workers, who were not vaccinated during the first phase, and all those in the country who are over 60 years of age.

This followed the first phase of the programme, in which nearly 480,000 health workers were vaccinated.

“Since the evidence shows that older people are at a far greater risk of severe COVID-19 illness and death, we have prioritised the elderly for this second phase.

“Over the last two weeks, over 480 000 people received the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, as part of the public vaccination campaign,” the President said on Sunday.

Since the Pfizer vaccine requires two doses to provide maximum immunity, people will need to have a second dose at least 42 days after their first dose.

“In total, over 960 000 people in South Africa have received one vaccine dose. Within the next few days, we will have administered vaccine doses to more than one million of the most vulnerable South Africans,” the President said.

There are now more than 400 vaccination sites in operation across the country in both the public and private sectors.

“As we have previously reported, we have secured enough vaccines to reach all adults in the country, which is around 40 million people. This includes 31 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which is a single dose, and which will be manufactured here in South Africa.

“It includes 20 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine, which requires two doses to provide full protection,” the President said.

He noted that the scheduled delivery of the Johnson & Johnson vaccines has been delayed due to regulatory issues related to lack of adherence to proper standards at a manufacturing plant in the United States.

“We are waiting for these issues to be resolved before the first batch of Johnson & Johnson vaccines can be released from the facility in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape.

“While this is a challenge that has affected the supply of vaccines for many countries and not just in our country, we are in constant contact with the relevant authorities to ensure that our doses can be released as soon as possible,” the President said.

About 1.3 million Pfizer doses have already been distributed and nearly 500 000 administered.

“The next 636 000 doses arrive tonight, with weekly deliveries of an equivalent volume until end June, when we will receive 2.5 million doses. Our reliance on the Pfizer vaccine for now has affected the pace at which we are able to open vaccination sites.

“Due to the properties of the Pfizer vaccine which requires an ultra-cold supply chain, inclusion of smaller sites and sites in more rural areas is limited,” the President said.

He said when the Johnson & Johnson vaccine has been cleared, it will be much easier to administer.

“It is a single dose vaccine and can be stored in a normal fridge. While our vaccine rollout ramps up over the coming weeks, I urge everyone to be patient and to await their turn.

“It is important that we allow healthcare workers and those above the age of 60 to be vaccinated first, as they are most at risk of severe illness or hospitalisation,” the President said.

More than three million registered for vaccine

Over three million people have registered on the Electronic Vaccine Data System.

“The Electronic Vaccine Data System forms the backbone of the programme to manage registration and the allocation of vaccines. The system links people who have registered to a vaccination site near them. The system enables the national team to monitor vaccine use and to deploy vaccines to where they are needed,” the President said.

He acknowledged that there might have been some challenges that inconvenienced people and sometimes caused delays.

“Fortunately, these have been attended to quickly and the system is being continually adapted and strengthened as the rollout proceeds. There are other challenges we are working to address,” the President said.

There are four ways that citizens can register to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. They include the following:

• The online registration platform available on the SA Coronavirus website.

• Dialling *134*832# and registering via USSD.

• Sending the word “register” via WhatsApp to 0600 123 456.

• Calling the national toll-free call centre on 0800 029 999, where somebody will help with registration and answer any questions about the vaccination rollout.

Government is continuing discussions with other vaccine manufacturers so that they can be included in the country’s vaccines programme.

“Some of these manufacturers are in the process of seeking the necessary approvals from our health products authority,” the President said.

The continent is also pushing ahead with efforts to expand its vaccine manufacturing capacity with a view to be self-sufficient in vaccine production

“We are also part of the global effort to ensure that all countries have access to sufficient vaccines as a matter of urgency. We are continuing to urge all countries to support a waiver of the TRIPS agreement at the World Trade Organisation so that COVID-19 vaccines and treatments can be produced on a greater scale, at lower cost and at a faster pace,” the President said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Britain has confirmed yet another spike in new COVID-19 infections, with close to 4,200 cases identified across the country Friday, the highest daily number in two months.

Seventy five percent of the new cases in Britain are believed to be infections with the so-called Indian variant, first detected in India, which is more transmissible than the previously dominant variant.

Also Friday, Britain approved a single-shot COVID-19 vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson. It is the fourth COVID-19 vaccine approved in the country, after inoculations made by Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Moderna.

The European Commission has authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for use in children as young as 12, widening the pool of those eligible to be inoculated, following similar approvals in the United States and Canada.

The commission made the announcement Friday after the European Union’s medical regulator, the European Medicines Agency, Friday recommended the use of the vaccine in children ages 12 to 15, saying that data show it is safe and effective.

“Extending the protection of a safe and effective vaccine in this younger population is an important step forward in the fight against this pandemic,” said Marco Cavaleri, the EMA’s head of health threats and vaccines strategy.

It is now up to EU states to decide whether and when to offer the vaccine to young adolescents.

Germany and Italy have already said they are preparing to extend their vaccination campaign to youths ages 12-15.

French President Emmanuel Macron pledged Friday to help provide South Africa and other African countries with vaccine doses. During a visit to Pretoria, Macron said France would donate more than 30 million doses this year to the United Nations-backed COVAX global vaccine initiative.

According to Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, South Africa has so far vaccinated roughly 700,000 people out of its population of 40 million.

In Australia, Melbourne went back under lockdown on Friday, as health authorities said a cluster of confirmed positive COVID-19 cases had increased to 39.In other developments Friday, India reported 186,364 new coronavirus infections during the previous 24 hours, its lowest daily rise since April 14. Deaths rose from the previous day to 3,660.

In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said children at summer camp who are not vaccinated do not have to wear masks outside unless they are in crowds or in sustained close contact with others. The new guidance comes as millions of children are set to resume summer camp this summer after the closure of many camps last year due to the virus.

Americans are celebrating the start of the Memorial Day weekend by hitting the roads and skies as they seek to cast off more than a year of pandemic restrictions and try to resume a sense of normalcy.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas urged Americans to be patient this weekend at busy airports.

“People will see lines because there’s going to be a tremendous amount of people traveling this weekend,” he told ABC’s Good Morning America on Friday.

Source: Voice of America

KWAZULU-NATAL – A 22-year-old suspect will appear in the Verulam Magistrates’ Court tomorrow, 28 May 2021 following his arrest in an intelligence driven operation was conducted on 26 May 2021 by the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team to solve the murder of a police officer.

It is alleged that on 11 April 2021, Sergeant Sibiya was with a companion when there was an altercation with other three males in Verulam. Sibiya was stabbed and rushed to hospital where he was declared dead on arrival. His death prompted the Hawks’ investigation which led to the suspect’s apprehension during the operation in the Durban CBD.

The suspect has been on the run since the incident which had prompted him to go into hiding. He will be profiled to ascertain if he can be linked to other serious crimes.

Source: South African Police Service