The COVID-19 Command Council in the Northern Cape says health authorities are increasing oxygen reserves in all health facilities in the Namakwa District.
There are 30 386 cases of COVID-19 in the province and 527 fatalities.
Provincial Health MEC Maruping Lekwene says the current systems are coping, but need to be consolidated.
Lekwene says, “Our current systems are able to withstand the current peak, but we are still continuing with the strengthening of our facilities by increasing the available reserves of oxygen resources. This was also expressed by the community members who echoed their satisfaction with the visible improvement.”
“I am satisfied that the support that we are giving (through) this visit confirmed that our focus of strengthening the district and support to the entire Namakwa District. We have the correct strategy and we are able to cope with the pandemic at this stage.”
Doctors
Earlier this month, Northern Cape authorities made provision for the health department to recruit more staff that include doctors to beef up their fight against COVID-19 in the province.
The province had earlier placed a moratorium on all government vacant positions citing lack of funds, but an exception has now been made for health, due to the rising number of coronavirus cases.
In the video below, doctors at Robert Sobukwe Hospital in Kimberley downed tools in December, demanding that all vacant positions at the hospital be filled.
COVID-19 complications
Six hundred and forty-seven people have succumbed to COVID-19 related complications in South Africa in the past 24 hours.
This brings the national death toll to 39 501.
The Health Department says the country’s cumulative coronavirus cases now stand at 1 380 807.
INFOGRAPHIC: COVID-19 statistics in SA:
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