COVID-19: ‘Country under siege with resurgence’ – Mkhize

With the total number of COVID-19 cases recently surpassing the one million mark and the number of daily cases rapidly rising, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has aired his views. In an interview on Morning Live with Leanne Manas, Mkhize said the whole country is under siege. 

WHERE ARE WE IN THE SECOND WAVE OF COVID-19? 

Now that the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases has surpassed the one million mark and daily infections stand at nearly 15 000, Mkhize said the numbers are no doubt increasing far more rapidly. 

When asked where we are in the second wave; in the beginning or in the middle, Mkhize said we’re in the middle of it, in the eye of the storm so to speak. 

“We’re still going to be in it for a few weeks and it’s important for people to understand that we need to take it very seriously,” he said. 

Mkhize said a huge thrust of it was in the Eastern Cape, however, now other provinces such as the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal are following suit. Mkhize said numbers are also rising in Gauteng, however, we have not yet seen the full effect in that province. 

“It will be felt by the whole country when the numbers increase in Gauteng,” he said. 

Mkhize went on to say that people are meeting in crowded places, having parties, forgetting masks and are not adhering to social distancing. 

“People are having fun at close proximity and these are the things that actually worsen the situation,” he added.  

HOSPITAL CAPACITY AND THE VACCINE

Mkhize said most of the hospitals are filling up and the real challenge with staff is that there’s a huge amount of exhaustion. Apart from that, there must also be enough PPE available to health workers.  

“We have put up a programme to ensure that people do have PPE’s that work, we said health workers must point out when they don’t have PPE’s.” 

Mkhize went on to say that the private hospitals filled up even before the public hospitals, to an extent that a number of patients coming from the private sector had to be referred to public hospitals that subsequently added more pressure. 

Regarding the COVID-19 vaccine, a down payment of $19.2 million (amounted to R283 million at the exchange rate at the time of payment) was made. The down payment represents 15% of the total cost of securing access to vaccines for 10% (roughly 6 million) of the population.

“We haven’t got something that is concrete right now but in the next few weeks, we will be able to announce something that is concrete based on when we will be able to get the order sorted. There’s a lot of behind the scenes work, mobilisation for additional resources,” he said. 

Mkhzie said the vaccine should be available sometime in the first quarter of 2021. 

WHEN WILL RAMAPHOSA ADDRESS THE NATION? 

The developments in the last few days have seen heightened anticipation of a family meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa. This, also after talk that the National coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) met over the weekend. 

When asked when Ramaphosa would address the nation, Mkhize let out a little giggle, saying that the president announces when he will make an address. 

Mkhize, on the other hand, did say that they had to report to the NCCC expressing their concerns. He said the president will be deliberating with the various ministers, stakeholders and traditional leaders and thereafter would make an announcement. He said he could not speak any further on behalf of the president. 

When asked what restrictions may be put in place, Mkhize said he could not say at this stage. He did, however, say that those people who encourage others not to take COVID-19 seriously should be ignored.