Guest column

THE second wave of COVID-19 has seen more misery and tribulation for many people in the world. The world continues to quiver with the United States of America still topping the list of both morbidity and mortality. European countries like United Kingdom, Italy, Germany are under serious attack with daily deaths of more than 1 000 apiece.

Africa seems to have been spared to a greater extent although South Africa is under serious attack with average daily deaths of more than 500 people in the last 5 days. Zimbabwe, like Zambia and Mozambique, has seen a stead rise in cases and deaths during the past week with Monday and Tuesday recording a total of 117 deaths.

Everyone agrees with me that the second wave is more nocuous than the first one.

The wave is characterised by quicker complications, a higher number of hospital admissions, higher demand for oxygen, skyrocketing cases and higher mortality. There is no cure for COVID-19 and in many instances, death arises from the secondary effects of the virus.

Questions are being asked if there is anything that can be done in order to reduce mortality. The medical professionals, who are the foot soldiers in the COVID-19 fight, have noted with concern that many people who have succumbed to the virus in the last few days in Zimbabwe have more or less the same presentations.

The following should be noted seriously if we are to reduce mortality in the country: