The Ministerial Advisory Committee on COVID-19 has made recommendations to the Health Department over the use of therapeutic bronchoscopy in the treatment of people suffering from COVID-19.
This, as questions have been raised over its use in the removal of mucus from the lungs in patients suffering from the infection.
The MAC did not recommend the routine use of the treatment, saying it posed too high of a risk to patients and healthcare workers that would perform the procedure.
It added, however, that the procedure could be used as an intervention in patients suffering severe cases of COVID-19, but under strict protocols in order to minimise the risk to healthcare workers.
Questions have been raised about the use of a therapeutic bronchoscopy for mucus removal in patients with #COVID19. Read more about why members of the Ministerial Advisory Committee said
the routine use of bronchoscopy cannot be recommended at present. pic.twitter.com/sRj3bkCJ71— Department of Health (@HealthZA) January 2, 2021
The recommendation comes as the death toll from COVID-19 related complications has topped 29 000 after the deaths of another 288 people. 15002 were recorded in the last reporting period, taking the cumulative total to 1880 889. The recovery rate stands at 82.4 percent.
#COVID19 Statistics in SA as at 02 January .
Use the COVID Alert SA app to protect yourself, your loved ones and your community. Start using this privacy preserving app today. Add your phone to the fight! Download the Covid Alert SA app now! https://t.co/8YKEqaiiRF pic.twitter.com/8TGk9tzsWT
— Dr Zweli Mkhize (@DrZweliMkhize) January 2, 2021
As of today, the total number of confirmed #COVID19 cases is 1 088 889 the total number of deaths is 29 175 and the total number of recoveries is 897 704. pic.twitter.com/mJt1Go519L
— Dr Zweli Mkhize (@DrZweliMkhize) January 2, 2021
