Strategic priority municipal wards identified for COVID-19 testing

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize says they have identified almost a 1 000 strategic priority municipal wards for the programme of screening and testing for the coronavirus.

The number of cases of the COVID -19 in South Africa has increased by 27 to 1380, with Gauteng still registering the most at 645. Five deaths have been registered.

Mkhize was speaking in Sandringham, Johannesburg, where he launched mobile testing units for the coronavirus.

The National Health laboratory has procured 60 mobile sampling and testing units to be sent to district municipalities and metros.

Mkhize says government has committed to rolling out a door to door screening in the most vulnerable communities.

 In the video below, Mkhize addresses the media on Day 6 of the Lockdown:

Homage to Prof Gita Ramjee

Mkhize has sent his condolences to the Ramjee family and the medical fraternity on the passing of scientist, Prof. Gita Ramjee, who died apparently of COVID-19 complications.

Ramjee had recently returned home from a trip to London and was admitted with pneumonia to a hospital in KwaZulu-Natal. Her research, which focused on ways to prevent HIV transmissions in women in South Africa, earned her recognition around the world.

Mkhize says Ramjee will be missed.

Ramjee grew up in Uganda. She later moved to India where she attended high school for several years. Ramjee then relocated to the north-east of England and attended the University of Sunderland. She joined the South African Medical Research Council as a scientist and progressed rapidly to senior scientist, division head, chief specialist scientist and then director of one of the largest units of the council.

Ramjee worked in the field of HIV/AIDS prevention research, working with microbicide trials for over ten years. She also led a KwaZulu-Natal team working on an HIV Vaccine Trial.

The video looks at Prof Gita Ramjee’s life: