How Eastern Cape Covid-19 patients are dying

An epidemiological report seen by the Mail & Guardian from the Eastern Cape government paints a gruesome picture of how people who contracted the virus have died. The deceased experienced multiorgan failures, kidney failures, cardiac arrest and respiratory failure.

As of Monday May 25, the case fatality rate for the province was 2.2%, but it has since increased to just less than 3%. The majority of people who died were over the age of 50. But there have been cases in which young people with no underlying illnesses have succumbed to the virus.

The majority of the underlying issues were related to lifestyle diseases, which have become a growing problem in the country. The lifestyle diseases prevalent in the province include hypertension, diabetes and obesity.

The document seen by the M&G does not provide patients’ personal information, but does list their symptoms, comorbidities and causes of death.

Of the 58 people who had died by May 25, five people had tuberculosis [TB], five others had HIV, and one person had all the above. Two patients were classified as obese.

On average, those who had passed away due to the coronavirus had a five-day stay at the health facility where they were treated, mostly government hospitals.

The majority of people who died had underlying health issues. Just less than 50% of people who died had hypertension, and 41% had diabetes. There were a range of other comorbidities, including HIV and TB.

The province accounts for about 10% of the deaths in the country.

Data seen by the M&G shows that the Eastern Cape, which had recorded 124 positive cases by April 30, had a spike by May 6, with 309 cases. By May 26, the province had recorded 2 864 cases — the thirdhighest after the Western Cape and Gauteng, which had 15829 and 3 043 cases, respectively — contributing 11.8% to South Africa’s number of cases. — Thanduxolo Jika & Athandiwe Saba