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Eastern Cape facing challenges in tracing COVID-19 related cases

Dr Zweli Mkhize
  • Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize says the motorbikes appear to be a cheaper and efficient form of patient transport.
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  • SABC News Zweli Mkhize EC
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Health Minister, Dr. Zweli Mkhize, says the Eastern Cape is facing challenges tracing contacts of COVID-19 related cases.
He also expressed concern over the rapid increase in the number of confirmed cases in the province.

The Eastern Cape currently has almost 8000 cases of the virus.
Mkhize was addressing the media at Mthatha’s Nelson Mandela Academic hospital as part of his two-day visit to the province.
In the video below, Mkhize concerned about Eastern Cape COVID-19 cases: 
The Eastern Cape Health Department says in the OR Tambo District alone, there are over 1100 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

This is cause for concern in a district that has seen the closure of several health centres, after staff became infected.
Minister Mkhize says for the country to be able deal with COVID-19, everyone must first acknowledge that it’s business unusual…
“The numbers will continue rising. We must brace ourselves. Training is important to understand how to deal with the infection. We as health workers are trained to specifically understand how to deal with the infections. All of us have to take precautions. We must make sure that everybody protects themselves and others.”

Provincial Health MEC, Sindiswa Gomba, says they initiated the visit so that the minister could see some of the challenges the province is facing.
“This is a visit that is initiated by the province. We want the minister to see first hand the challenges we face. Minister, we feel you must assist us where we are stuck.”
Making a presentation to the minister and the MEC, Chief Director for Communicable Diseases, Miyakazi Nokwe focussed on the OR Tambo region, which she described as a hotspot…
“There are 40 deaths in the OR Tambo region with KSD and Nyandeni being the epicenter. Mhlontlo and Port St John’s have 5 deaths each.”
Minister Mkhize has also announced that the country has reached the 1-million mark in testing people. The country now has 58 568 confirmed COVID-19 cases.
In the video below, 1284 COVID-19 deaths recorded in South Africa: 
COVID-19 statistics in South Africa: 

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