Durban - THE coronavirus has claimed three KwaZulu-Natal residents since Saturday night: a professor, a teacher and a pensioner - in the space of four days.
As of Wednesdayt there were 1353 confirmed coronavirus cases in South Africa and five fatalities, three from KZN. At the start of March, KZN recorded the first coronavirus infection. Today, the province has the third highest number of positive cases:179.
World-renowned HIV scientist and researcher Professor Gita Ramjee died from coronavirus complications in a Durban hospital on Tuesday. She had recently returned from a trip to the UK. It is understood she had complications arising from asthma and pneumonia.
A teacher from uMlazi also died on Tuesday from coronavirus-related complications. Her family have asked that she not be named as they are being victimised by their community. The Health Department said the teacher had an underlying condition of hypertension chronic asthma, and at the time of admission had an acute asthmatic attack.
Ramjee had served as director of the HIV Prevention Unit of the South African Medical Research Council (MRC). Dr Anthony Mbewu, former president of the MRC, said Ramjee would never be forgotten by those who benefited from her unstinting dedication to the cause.
More tributes to Ramjee and her stellar work have filtered through from organisations and the public.
Normah Zondo, the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s acting executive director of corporate relations, said Ramjee recently received global recognition for her lifetime of contribution relating to HIV prevention among women. She was awarded the “Outstanding Female Scientist” award by the European Development Clinical Trials Partnerships.
The uMlazi teacher’s sister, who asked not to be named, said her sister had a bout of flu before school closed.
“She was admitted into hospital because of the flu and doctors said she had asthma, which she didn’t have. That surprised us but we ignored it. She was then discharged with an inhaler and other medication for asthma,” she said.
“After she returned home, she had breathing difficulties and the medication did not assist her and we took her back to hospital. Eventually we were told she had the coronavirus and we all had to get tested.”
Her sister said officials from the Department of Health visited their home and took samples of everyone’s blood. Two family members tested positive, including a Grade 9 pupil, and they had been admitted to hospital.
Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga and Education MEC Kwazi Mshengu conveyed their condolences.
According to the department, another teacher at the school tested positive and all those who came in contact with the deceased teacher were advised to go for testing.
“We will ensure the families, colleagues and the teacher’s pupils receive counselling. Losing teachers at a time like this is particularly hard when they are instrumental in ensuring learning continues,” said Motshekga.
The South African Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu) said it strongly believed the teacher contracted the virus when she was first admitted into hospital, where she spent more than two weeks. Sadtu general secretary Mugwena Maluleke said teachers and pupils from the school should not panic because the teacher did not return to school after she was discharged from hospital.
On Saturday, Andre Keijser, 73, died of the coronavirus after returning from the Kruger National Park. Keijser had complained of a sore body, a cold and when he went to the doctor was told he had respiratory distress, cardiac failure, decreased saturation and his temperature was above 38 degrees.
According to the health department, Keijser also had an underlying skin cancer condition (melanoma).