Western Cape has not yet reached COVID-19 peak: Expert

An expert from the Centre for Infectious Diseases Professor Andrew Boulle says the Western Cape has not yet reached its coronavirus peak.

He was speaking in an online briefing with provincial government leaders.

The province has recorded more than 1 900 COVID-19 related deaths, the highest in the country.

Boulle says this high number of deaths has not been seen since the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

“We are seeing a crisis of some proportions, so I’ve pointed out this very unusual mortality pattern which is really quite unprecedented except for these exceptional circumstances. If the Western Cape were a country and were compared to other countries, at this point in time globally we might be one of the countries with the highest currently daily mortality rate per million populations in the world.”

In the video below, President Cyril Ramaphosa acknowledges Western Cape challenges and successes:

Over 700 teachers test positive for COVID-19 

More than 700 teachers and just under 90 learners have tested positive for COVID-19 in the province. At least 27 healthcare workers in the province have succumbed to the disease.

 In the video below, at least 15 Western Cape schools have had to be closed since reopening:

Western Cape gears up to start using Dexamethasone

The Western Cape government has begun developing clinical protocols for the use of the drug, Dexamethasone as the battle continues to slow down the spread of the virus.

The province has said its ICU and high care units are running at near capacity at both Tygerberg and Groote Schuur hospitals, but it is encouraged by a number of clinical interventions. – Additional reporting by Mercedes Besent and Mlamli Maneli.

In the video below, Dr Mkhize talks about the use of Dexamethasone as a treatment for COVID-19:

Below is an infographic of COVID-19 statistics in SA: