Cape Town – The cumulative number of detected Covid-19-related cases has risen to 657 627, with 2 055 new cases identified, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said on Friday.
A total of 85 more Covid-19-related deaths have been reported: 5 from the Eastern Cape, 9 from KwaZulu-Natal, 62 from Gauteng, 7 from the Western Cape and 2 from the Northern Cape, Mkhize said in a statement. This brings the total number of Covid-19-related deaths to 15 857.
’’Our recoveries now stand at 586 844, which translates to a recovery rate of 89.2. The cumulative number of tests conducted to date is 4 003 590, with 20 057 new tests conducted since the last report.“
A total of 2 128 new cases were identified on Thursday, with 67 deaths.
Meanwhile, local public health experts have raised concerns about the bulk-buying of potential Covid-19 vaccines by rich nations, arguing that this could further delay access to these life-saving shots by developing countries such as South Africa.
The latest report by Oxfam has revealed that wealthy nations representing only 13% of the global population have already bought up more than half of the promised doses of future Covid-19 vaccines.
A British Covid-19 test which gives results in just over an hour and does not require laboratory services was accurate in almost all cases, an academic review in the Lancet has found.
Called DnaNudge, the faster testing could allow more people to return to work or permit testing on entry to hospital, thus slowing a second spike in coronavirus infections. The new test is based on the design of a DNA test.
Colloquially called "long Covid", some people who have recovered from Covid-19 are suffering from health issues like chronic fatigue, heart difficulties, breathing problems, and even a decline in mental health. Basically, the longer-term effects of Covid-19 are unknown.
Research from Austria showed lung and heart damage weeks after recovery, although there appeared to be some self-recovery after a longer period of time, highlighting the importance of pulmonary rehabilitation for hospitalised patients.
IOL