SA must brace for more virus cases, says WHO

THE World Health Organization (WHO) African Region has noted that the unrest in parts of South Africa, particularly KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, has negatively impacted the government’s response to Covid-19.

Although protests began to intensify last week when Jacob Zuma spent his first night at Estcourt Correctional Centre for being in contempt of court, it was during this week that unrest, looting and violence spread through the two provinces.

It resulted in vaccinations being halted in many parts of KZN and GP; national lockdown regulations being flouted; healthcare for HIV and other chronic illnesses being affected; health facilities had to be closed while others operated with skeleton staff. Not all health services were available to those who needed them and emergency medical services and forensic pathology services could not reach their destinations.

Earlier this week, the UN in South Africa said it was concerned about the impact of continuing violence which has disrupted private and public transport for workers and medical staff, and created shortages of food and other essential products such as medication for those recovering from Covid-19, HIV and other diseases.

WHO Africa regional director Dr Matshidiso Moeti said yesterday they were very concerned that the past few days of rioting in some parts of South Africa could exacerbate the situation of an already very severe third wave.

Moeti said they had started to see a levelling off of daily cases in South Africa but with the civil unrest, these kinds of activities meant people were gathering where these events were happening.

“There was interaction among people in crowds, with those who were trying to control the movement of people and their activities in looting.

“There may be transmission increases in these circumstances and then, of course, this type of activity meant that people moving around has been very limited.”

“It will have had a negative impact on prevention interventions and a negative impact on the vaccination programme.”

The WHO was aware that KZN had a steep decrease in the number of people that have been attending vaccination sites in the past few days.

“It is indeed a very sad and unfortunate situation and I think the government has to brace itself and we in the WHO will be preparing to see an increase in the cases again to support whatever the government may need to do to bring the situation of the third wave under control.”