Tag Archive for: Department of Health

Andrew Stegmann
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Second Covid-19 Wave in Full Swing in South Africa as Hospitals Report Capacity Strain

South African Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize reported 9,445 new cases on Sunday evening (20 December), and 152 new deaths over the past 24 hours, as the virus continues its second wave of infection.

It follows 10,939 new virus cases and 254 more deaths in the country on Saturday, the Health Department said.

“As of today, the total number of confirmed #Covid-19 cases is 921,922, the total number of deaths is 24,691 and the total number of recoveries is 793,914, the minister said in a post on social media.

“Regrettably, 152 more Covid-19 related deaths have been reported: Eastern Cape 105 , Free State 5, Gauteng 1, Kwa-Zulu Natal 8, Mpumalanga 3 and Western Cape 30,” he said.

Mediclinic International said it’s struggling with capacity constraints as the country experiences a second wave of coronavirus infections, Bloomberg reported.

Patients seeking care within Mediclinic hospitals are exceeding previous numbers during the first peak, Gerrit de Villiers, a group general manager said in a statement. Demand in many intensive care and high care units have reached capacity, the company said.

Mediclinic said coronavirus patients had climbed from less than 100 admissions to more than 500 in a month in its facilities across the Western Cape.

“This dramatic increase in numbers within the Western Cape has placed very heavy strain on available healthcare resources including staff, equipment and available beds to provide intensive treatment for seriously ill patients,” it said. Elective or non-emergency surgery has been cancelled.

Mediclinic said it is increasing beds available to Covid-19 patients and reallocating resources.

The Western Cape pointed to a spike in new cases over the past week. “Over the last 7 days the Cape Metro has seen a 87% increase in Covid-19 cases, with Mitchells Plain recording a 101% increase, and Eastern subdistricts 97% increase, The Western Cape Government said.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].

Andrew Stegmann
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As COVID Numbers Worsen, New Lock-down Restrictions for South Africa Announced

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced new lockdown measures at both national, and district level for South Africa.

In a national address on Monday evening (14 December), the president said that the country has been hit by a second wave of coronavirus infections with nearly 8,000 new cases reported on Sunday.

There can no longer be any doubt that South Africa has entered a second wave, said the president. “If we do not act urgently, the second wave will be even more severe than the first wave.”

The president pointed to four provinces leading this second wave, including:

  • The Western Cape
  • The Eastern Cape
  • KZN
  • Gauteng

There are probably many reasons for this massive spike in infections, but some key contributors are now becoming clearer, the president said.

Ramaphosa said that most cases are reported in young people between 15 and 19 years. He said that one of the main reasons for the massive spike in infections are social gatherings and parties- particularly the matric rage event.

“In many of these gatherings, social distancing is not being observed, venues are crowded and not adequately ventilated, hand sanitiser is not readily available, and people are not wearing masks,” he said.

Many people consume alcoholic drinks at these ‘super-spreader’ events, with the result that people become less careful about taking measures to protect themselves and prevent infection.

“We now know that nearly 1,000 young people from Gauteng who attended the event have tested positive for the coronavirus. What we don’t yet know is how many more people each of them has infected.

“It is said that up to 300 families could in turn have been infected. The sad truth about is that festivals, concerts & parties – which should be occasions for fun & joy – are proving to be sources of infection & illness and may even lead to deaths.”

Other reasons behind the rise infections include increased travel between provinces and a relaxed attitude to current lockdown regulations such as wearing masks.

“The more we travel, the greater the potential to spread the virus,” the president said.

He said that the relatively low rates of infection over the last few months have made us more relaxed about wearing a mask over our nose and mouth every time we go out in public.

“Another factor in the rise in infections is increased travel with many people not observing prevention measures as they move within cities, towns and rural areas, and between different areas.”

“The festive season now poses the greatest threat,” the president said. “Unless we do things differently, this will be the last Christmas for many South Africans,” he said.

Local restrictions

Ramaphosa said that it is necessary to take extraordinary measures to save lives, while still protecting livelihoods.

These measures include local lockdown restrictions for the Sarah Baartman District in the Eastern Cape and the Garden Route District in the Western Cape, which have been declared hotspot regions.

From 00h01 on Tuesday, until a drop in infections is seen, the following additional restrictions will take affect in these areas:

  • Hours of curfew will be from 22h00 – 04h00 except for essential workers and emergencies;
  • The sale of alcohol will only be permitted between 10h00 and 18h00, from Monday and Thursday at retail outlets;
  • Alcohol use will be banned in public places such as beaches and parks;
  • All gatherings, including religious gatherings, may not be attended by more than 100 people for indoor events and 250 people for outdoor events;
  • At all times the total number of people may not exceed 50% of venue capacity;
  • All post-funeral gatherings are now prohibited.

National lockdown

Ramaphosa also announced that further national restrictions will be reintroduced from 00h01 on Tuesday.

These restrictions will be reviewed in early January based on the state of the country’s coronavirus cases, he said.

The new restrictions include:

  • Stricter enforcement of existing level 1 lockdown restrictions – This includes that people in public buildings and public transport wear masks.
  • Gatherings – Gatherings will be further restricted to 100 people for indoor events and 250 for outdoor events. The total number of people in a venue may not exceed 50% of the capacity of the venue.
  • Funerals – All post-funeral gathering are prohibited across the country.
  • Beaches – Ramaphosa said that a differentiated approach will be used for the country’s beaches and public parks. In areas with high coronavirus cases beaches and parks will be closed from 16 December to 3 January – this will apply to all of the Eastern Cape and the Garden Route. Beaches will also be closed in KZN on days which are seen as particularly busy. These include 16 December, 26 December, 31 December, 1 January, 2 January, and 3 January. Beaches and public parks in the Western Cape and Northern Cape will remain open for now.
  • Evening – South Africa’s national curfew will be extended: 23h00 until 04h00. This means that non-essential establishments such as restaurants will have to close at 22h00 so that staff and patrons can go home before curfew. The curfew is in full effect on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.
  • Alcohol – The sale of alcohol will only be permitted from 10h00 – 18h00 from Monday to Thursday at retail outlets. Wine farms can remain open and sell alcohol for off-site consumption as per their licence hours.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].

Andrew Stegmann
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South African Health Minister: The Country is Officially in a Second COVID Wave. 8,100 New Cases Reported

Cases Rising

SA recorded more than 8,100 new Covid-19 cases in 24 hours – from December 9th to 10th – along with 173 fatalities.

“We wish to reiterate our plea to South Africans to heed the threat of the rising numbers of Covid-19 cases identified. There is clear evidence of an exponential rise in transmission and this is cause for serious concern,” said health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize.

He confirmed that 8,166 new cases were confirmed in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of confirmed infections countrywide to 836,764.

The confirmed cases come from 45,207 tests, at an infection rate of 18%.

Mkhize also reported 173 new Covid-19 related deaths in the past 24 hours. Of these, 90 were in the Eastern Cape, 52 were in the Western Cape, 13 in Gauteng, 10 in KwaZulu-Natal and eight in Gauteng.

There have now been 22,747 confirmed deaths linked to the coronavirus pandemic in SA.

To date, 756,671 recoveries have been recorded.

The bulk of the new cases came from the Western Cape (2,666) and Eastern Cape (2,187), following by KwaZulu-Natal (1,669) and Gauteng (1,234). The North West was next-highest, with just 105 new cases in the past 24 hours.

Second Wave

Health minister Zweli Mkhize announced on Wednesday that SA has entered a second wave of Covid-19 infections.

He was giving an update on the state of Covid-19 in SA, as infections continue to climb. SA has registered 828,598 Covid-19 cases since March, and 22,574 deaths.

Nelson Mandela Bay in the Eastern Cape was recently declared a hotspot by President Cyril Ramaphosa, who announced the introduction of stricter measures there to help mitigate the further spread of the virus.

Key Quotes from the Minister’s Update

Drivers of the second wave

Mkhize said a spike in infections in four provinces was the main cause of the second wave.

“It is important for us to highlight that four provinces, being the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng are the key drivers of this new wave. We looked at the number of tests done, the positivity rate and numbers of people who are admitted at fatalities. These show an indication of an increase.”

Eastern Cape and Western Cape severely affected, but it has spread

Mkhize said the increases in the last week were in the Eastern Cape and Western Cape but have since spread to four other provinces.

“Up to the past week or so, we had an increase in the Eastern Cape and in the Western Cape. There were specific districts which were affected. Now we are indicating that the numbers are increasing to involve more provinces. As of today, the increases are shown in about six of the provinces.”

How the other provinces are doing

The minister said the Western Cape and the Eastern Cape had more new cases than other provinces. The Free State, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the North West each account for just 1% of the new infections, while the Northern Cape accounts for less than 1%.

“The Western Cape has 30% of the positive cases today, followed by the Eastern Cape, which is at 24%, and KwaZulu-Natal, which is 23%, and Gauteng province at 17%.”

Superspreader events

Mkhize said the peak age is now between 15 and 19. This is believed to be chiefly from events such as the Rage Festival attended by teenagers in Ballito, KZN recently. The health department declared the event a Covid-19 “superspreader”.

“This is a new issue and this is worrying. It is believed to be due to a large number of parties involving young people drinking alcohol with no adherence to non-pharmaceutical interventions, wearing no masks, and social distancing and hand sanitising not taking place.”

“Prepare for a festive season with a difference”

The minister said the festive season should be enjoyed responsibly and with caution to prevent further spread of the coronavirus.

“Yes, the festive season is a time for us to relax and enjoy with our families; we now need to understand that we have a responsibility to enjoy with various restraints.

“If your enjoyment will lead to more people being infected and being admitted to hospital, it’s not a responsible way to enjoy ourselves.”

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].

Andrew Stegmann
,

South Africa Opens For International Travel From All Countries: Updated COVID-19 Regulations

The South African Government has relaxed the country’s level 1 lockdown rules around international travel, allowing visitors from any country provided they follow health and safety guidelines.

In an address on Wednesday evening (11 November), President Cyril Ramaphosa said that the easing of these restrictions is to enable all parts of the economy to return to full operation as quickly and as safely as possible.

“(We are) opening up international travel to all countries subject to the necessary health protocols and the presentation of a negative Covid-19 certificate. By using rapid tests and strict monitoring we intend to limit the spread of the infection through importation,” he said.

While the decision has been welcomed by the local tourism industry, it may be hamstrung as several key target markets are experiencing a second wave in coronavirus infections which will prevent potential tourists from visiting South Africa.

“From 5 November to 2 December 2020, travelling away from home, including internationally, is restricted from England except in limited circumstances such as for work or for education,” the UK’s foreign office said.

The foreign office also advises against all but essential travel to the whole of South Africa based on the current assessment of Covid-19 risks.

Some restrictions are also in place for Germany and France, with both countries also re-entering lockdowns in recent weeks. A ban on overseas travel from Australia is also in place.

Despite existing international restrictions, local tourism has praised the decision to ease restrictions, especially the removal of the ‘high-risk list’ which saw travellers from specific countries prohibited from entering South Africa for leisure travel.

“We have been calling for the ‘red list’ to be scrapped from day one, as it was killing our key source markets for tourism in the Western Cape ahead of the summer season and causing much confusion and uncertainty for the travel and tourism industry which has been hard-hit by the Covid-19 pandemic,” said the Western Cape’s minister of finance and economic opportunities David Maynier.

Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa, chief executive of the Tourism Business Council of South Africa has also been lobbying the government to abandon the ‘red list’ as it was not necessary because travellers had to present a Covid-19 test before entering the country.

“We have worked hard with determination and persistence for the sake of the tourism industry,” he said. “As the president has just announced, all borders will be open subject to Covid-19 negative certificate for all passengers. No more high-risk list of countries. Let’s all go to work.”

Partial re-opening of borders

The 18 land borders which were partially operational, will be fully operational, and the 34 land borders which were closed, will remain closed.

Travelling to and from South Africa is allowed, subject to:

  • The traveller providing a valid certificate of a negative test which was obtained not more than 72 hours before the date of travel;
  • In the event of the traveller’s failure to submit a certificate as proof of a negative test, the traveller will be required to quarantine him or herself at his or her own costs.

International air travel remains restricted to the following airports:

  • OR Tambo International Airport:
  • King Shaka International Airport;
  • Cape Town International Airport.

The resumption of services for visa applications shall be determined in directions issued by minister of Home Affairs, Aaron Motsoaledi.

The minister is also expected to work with the Department of Health and the Department of Transport on international travel containment protocols to ensure that entry into South African ports of entry will only be allowed subject to adherence to ensure Covid-19 positive travellers are not allowed into the country.

Liquor sales 

The gazette states that the sale of liquor is permitted:

  • By licensed premises for off-site consumption, is permitted during licensed trading hours – subject to the laws governing such licenses;
  • By a licensed premises for on-site consumption is permitted, subject to strict adherence to the curfew.

Since the start of alert level one on 21 September 2020, licensed outlets have only been allowed to sell alcohol for home consumption on weekdays from 09h00 to 17hoo.

The amended regulations effectively mean that liquor trading returns to pre-lockdown hours, with bottle stores and other retailers now able sell liquor for off-site consumption over the weekend and during all licensed trading hours.

Any person who does not follow these regulations is liable to be fined or faces imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].