The KwaZulu-Natal Health Department says it is unsure as to why the province bears the brunt of the country’s COVID-19 deaths.
South Africa’s first confirmed positive coronavirus case came from Hilton in KwaZulu-Natal. As of April 20th, the province bears the burden of 23 deaths and more than 600 infections.
Earlier this week, KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala said, “All is not well in KwaZulu-Natal” as the province battles the country’s highest number of COVID-19 related deaths.
A huge concern for the provincial health department remains the rising number of private sector infections. Two private hospitals in the Netcare group have been forced to close their doors after both patients and healthcare workers tested positive for COVID-19.
At St Augustine’s Hospital, at least five patients died from COVID-19 related complications and 66 healthcare workers and patients tested positive for the virus.
KwaZulu-Natal Health HOD Doctor Sandile Tshabalala says they are keeping a close watch of private hospitals.
“We need to go back and try to check what were the relations to these patients and their comorbidities. So, the worry is that we are confused why there are so many deaths. We can’t be contributing 23 out of 54 deaths. We have not been able to come with a scientific statement that says HIV and COVID-19 are related,” says Tshabalala.
In this video below, KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala speaks on lockdown measures:
‘Practice protective measures’
The department believes that instances of moonlighting by some healthcare workers can double their risk of contracting and transmitting the virus.
“There is an aspect that says to us some staff work in the public sector and then will go work in the private sector and most of that staff turning positive. So, are there relations we think there are,” says Tshabalala.
Health practitioners like Doctor Prithy Ramlackan are also appealing to densely populated communities to practice protective measures. The province today launched its Informal Settlement Sanitisation Programme in this regard.
“We need to protect ourselves and keep the virus within 1cm of its origin, which is your mouth. If you have a mask on you keep the virus there and if you are in a densely populated township at least you will keep the virus away from others and your family,” says Ramlackan.
Experts have repeatedly warned that South Africa’s confirmed infections are not a true reflection of the spread of the virus.
In this video below KZN Premier addresses the media:
