The new year is already off to an unprecedented start. On New Years Day, the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto reported no patients in its hospital trauma rescue area.
This is the first time in the hospital’s history that the trauma rescue area has no patients on the first day of the new year.
Taking to social media, the hospital, which is the third-largest hospital in the world, shared images of their empty halls. While they did not give a reason for its emptiness, many in the comments attribute the lack of trauma cases to the booze ban and early curfew.
This comes a day after South Africa recorded its largest jump in new COVID-19 infections. On December 31, the country had 1 057 161 positive cases with 18 000 new cases identified since the last report.
Another 436 people have died, bringing the total deaths in the country to 28 469.
Our recoveries currently stand at 879 671. This represents a recovery rate of 83%.
Picture: Facebook / Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital