Covid-19 testing to be offered to vulnerable groups in Gauteng
As of Thursday, 7 May, the province had 1 720 cases, with 1 053 recoveries, and 15 deaths.
Recovered
Of the positive cases in the province, 61% of people who tested positive since the first case on 5 March have recovered, while 667 cases are still active.
Of the 15 deaths, seven are in Johannesburg, five in Ekurhuleni, one in Tshwane and two in the West Rand.
Johannesburg remains the epicentre of the virus, with 979 cases, followed by Ekurhuleni 370 and Tshwane 235 cases.
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Some other districts are as follows: Sedibeng 21 and West Rand 51.
There are also 64 cases which are currently unallocated.
Hotspots
“Covid-19 hotspots are not standing; what may have been a hotspot three weeks ago may no longer be a hotspot, due to recoveries, and there may be a new area,” Makhura said.
Seventy patients are hospitalised in private and public healthcare facilities in the province – 46 in private care and 24 public.
In addition, eight of those patients are in intensive care in a private facility.
“Our clinicians emphasise that early interventions are important (oxygenation, fluid supportive treatment, prone position and blood thinning),” said Makhura.
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Makhura said a further 1 600 beds are being created in existing hospitals in preparation for the next phase of the pandemic.
He said 300 ICU beds will be added at the Dr George Mukhari cluster, 500 at Chris Hani Baragwanath and 200 at Ashanti Gold Hospital. All are expected to be ready by the end of July.
Lastly, while the province has a stock of approximately 10.4 million personal protective equipment, an additional order of 63 million has been made for the future.
“What we have now will help us deal with the hospitalisation at the moment. The road ahead is something we do not know, so we are preparing for the next phase of the progression of the pandemic,” Makhura said.
