The COVID storm is now arriving – Mkhize

The storm that the government has been warning South Africans about, over the surge in the number of people infected by the COVID-19 pandemic, is now almost here, so says Health Minister Zweli Mkhize.

 

Mkhize also warned that bed capacity would be breached or overwhelmed in all provinces, including Gauteng and the Eastern Cape, as the country edges closer to the peak in infections.

 

“The storm that we have consistently warned South Africans about is now arriving. As a nation we have every reason to be united in this fight against COVID-19,” he said. “We dare not be divided. As government, we have said we cannot fight this COVID-19 enemy alone,” he added.

 

Mkhize was speaking in Parliament today, giving an update on the impact of COVID-19 on South Africans.

 

He said bed capacity was expected to be breached in the next four weeks, adding that the peak in infections was expected in mid-August.

Mkhize said government was implementing a surge strategy in anticipation of the peak in cases, a move that has seen the repurposing of 27 467 beds for COVID-19, which has increased capacity to 40 309 beds, as provinces started to experience a sudden increase in the number of new cases.

As of 30 June 2020, 4 821 health care workers were reported to be infected by coronavirus, said Mkhize.

“Currently planned hospital beds in the Eastern Cape and Gauteng are projected to be insufficient for combined non-ICU bed demand and the overflow from ICU once ICU capacity has been breached. Bed capacity (including all currently committed public and private sector beds) is expected to be breached in the next four weeks,” he said.