South Africa has surpassed the 50 000 COVID-19 cases mark this Monday. The increase in the number of new infections was also accompanied by a further 82 COVID-19 related deaths.
50 of the deaths are from Western Cape, 26 from the Eastern Cape, and one from KwaZulu-Natal. This brings the total national deaths to 1 080 with a mortality rate of 2,1%.
“We extend our condolences to the loved ones of the departed and thank the healthcare workers who treated the deceased,” says the Department of Health in a statement.
The country’s latest COVID-19 confirmed cases stand at 50 879 with Western Cape accounts to 66% of the total number of cases.
The recoveries to date are at 26 099, which translates to 51,3% recovery rate as at Monday.
Latest COVID-19 stats as at 8 June 2020:
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The total number of confirmed cases in the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) is now at 1128, with 461 officials and 667 inmates.
Meanwhile, Western Cape Premier, Alan Winde, says the country’s largest field hospital, operating out of the Cape Town International Convention Centre, has admitted its first COVID-19 patients. The 800-bed hospital is now fully operational and will be activated in phases.
Nine hundred people will staff the hospital, called the Hospital of Hope, once it is fully up and running.
Premier Winde, says, “First of all, we must understand that this hospital is not … it’s not an ICU facility and it is not a mainstream hospital. This hospital is more a kind of recovery hospital and what happens is that when you are no longer in ICU or you are not that seriously ill, we’ll move you through to this hospital or one of our four or perhaps five … we’re busy negotiating the fifth one at the moment.”
Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, has appealed for nurses and doctors to come forward to assist in the effort to eradicate the coronavirus pandemic. The Minister is visiting Mpumalanga province, where he gave the Rob Ferreira Hospital in Mpumalanga the thumbs up.
“On my way here, we have been discussing this issue of getting additional staff. We have also been calling out on private nursing colleges as well as different provinces to send a message out to say – people who have been trained, they must look out for where opportunities are for employment as nurses. So, we are calling on the nurses and doctors … those that are unemployed to just liaise with our department, so we can cover the space.”
In the video below, Minister Mkhize gives ‘thumbs up’ to Rob Ferreira Hospital in Mbombela:
Mkhize’s Mpumalanga visit is ahead of the upcoming presidential visit. He says the province has been very impressive so far, clamping down on cluster outbreaks in supermarkets and managing incoming and outgoing foreign travelers.
He has urged residents to continue wearing their masks.
