SA’s number of COVID-19 cases leaps

As at today [April 29], the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in South Africa is 5 350, an increase of 354 cases from yesterday.

This is the highest number of cases in a 24-hour cycle recorded to date and represents a 73% increase relative to the day before.

While this is well noted, the interpretation of the rate of spread is more reasonably assessed by studying trends over time.

The total number of tests conducted to date is 197 127, of which 11 630 were done in the last 24 hours. This is the highest number of tests done in a 24 hour period, representing a 66% percent increase relative to the previous day’s tally. Additionally we have also recorded the highest COVID positive result yield from a 24 hour cycle of testing at 3%.

The provincial breakdown is as follows:

Reported Deaths

“Regrettably, we report a further 10 deaths today from Gauteng, Western Cape, KwaZulu Natal and Eastern Cape. This brings the total number of COVID-19 related deaths to 103,” Minister of Health, Zwelini Mkhize said in a statement.

Gauteng (3)

– An 89 year old female who presented with shortness of breath

– An 82 year old female who had underlying chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. She presented with acute renal failure and a concomitant urinary tract infection

– An 80 year old male who presented with fever and shortness of breath. He too had underling COPD

Western Cape (4)

– A 57 year old male presenting with fever and shortness of breath. He had underlying hypertension

– A 61 year old female who presented with flu like symptoms and low blood oxygen. She was hypertensive.

– A 58 year old female who presented with fever and shortness of breath. She had poorly controlled hypertension

– A 33 year old female who presented with flu like symptoms and low blood oxygen. Her case is concerning as she was subsequently diagnosed with acute myocarditis (inflammation of the heart). She had no previously diagnosed co-morbidities

KwaZulu-Natal (2)

– An 89 year old female who had underlying conditions of hypertension, diabetes and

cardiac disease

– A 67 year old female who had underlying conditions of asthma and arthritis

Eastern Cape (1)
– A 39 year old female that presented with pneumonia. She was a person living with HIV with superadded tuberculosis and cryptococcal meningitis.

“We sadly note that one of the deceased patients from the Western Cape was a registered nurse who worked for the Department of Health. Her passing will be sorely felt as we regard all our health workers as precious frontline soldiers of this battle against COVID-19. We also mention that this was a community transmission and did not occur within a health facility,” Mkhize said “We convey our condolences to the families of the deceased and appreciate the health workers who treated the deceased patients.”

Western Cape

The number of new cases in WC has almost doubled from 133 the day before to 264 today. This was also the highest number of new cases in this province in any 24-hour cycle.

Also of note is that this province has the highest positivity yield from their tests in the past 24 hours at 7.5% when compared to other provinces.

In the past 24 hours the Western Cape contributed to 75% of the total new cases nationally while only contributing 30% of total tests over the same period.

“These concerning trends have prompted us to plan for additional support to be deployed to the Province to help contain the spread of COVID-19. The province has been asked to recruit additional personnel and 30 Cuban doctors will also be sent to reinforce the human resource capacity,” Mkhize said.

Picture: polity.org