WEEKLY BULLETIN ON OUTBREAKS
AND OTHER EMERGENCIES
Week 29: 13 - 19 July 2020
Data as reported by: 17:00; 19 July 2020
...
Coronavirus disease 2019
South Africa
364 328 Cases
5 033 Deaths
1.4% CFR
EVENT DESCRIPTION
The South Africa COVID-19 outbreak is now ranked fifth in the
world, with only the USA, Brazil, India and Russia ahead in terms
of case numbers, although reported deaths are relatively low
on a global scale. Community transmission is well-established.
Gauteng Province has now overtaken the Western Cape as the
most affected province, with 133 617 cases (36.7%), compared
to Western Cape at 85 928 cases (23.6%). However, Gauteng
Province has reported 986 (19.6%) deaths, against the Western
Cape’s 2 619 (52%) deaths. Total reported cases in Eastern Cape
Province continue to rise rapidly, now at 63 181 cases (17.3%),
with KwaZulu-Natal the next most affected province with 43 215
cases (11.9%). North West Province is also reporting relatively
large numbers of cases for its population size and density,
at 14 006 cases (3.8%), which is probably because of the
concentration of workers in the mining industry in the province.
Free State (9 993 cases), Mpumalanga (7 129 cases), Limpopo
(4 928 cases) and Northern Cape (2 266 cases), with 67 cases
unallocated, make up the remaining cases in the country.
As of 19 July 2020, there is a cumulative total of 364 328 cases,
with 5 033 deaths (case fatality ratio 1.4%) reported in South
Africa, making up more than half the total number of reported
cases in the WHO African Region and around 40% of the reported
deaths. The number of recoveries so far is 191 059, a recovery
rate of 52.4%. Where sex is known, there are 208 343 female
cases and 153 735 male cases. The age groups between 25 to 49
years are most affected.
PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIONS
On 17 July 2020, the Minister of Health announced that
the recommended isolation period for those positive for
COVID-19 be shortened from 14 days to 10 days in line with
WHO guidelines.
On 17 July 2020, the National Department of Health launched
COVID-Connect, the government’s official COVID-19 support
service, which is a self-service portal available on cell
phones, which works on any mobile device.
On 12 July 2020, the South African President announced
further tightening of lockdown regulations, reinforcing
mandatory wearing of cloth masks in public and reintroducing
a complete ban on alcohol sales and distribution, which had
been lifted on 1 June 2020. The ban on tobacco sales, which
has been in place since May 2020, remains.
A curfew from 21:00 to 04:00 hours was introduced on 13
July 2020.
Inter-provincial travel is banned except for essential business and for immediate
family members to attend funerals; intraprovincial leisure travel,
which had resumed at the beginning of June 2020, is once again banned,
with only business travel allowed.
SITUATION INTERPRETATION
The massive, rapidly rising caseload in South Africa is of grave
concern, even though the reported case fatality ratio remains
relatively low. Undoubtedly, the COVID-19 outbreak is putting
undue pressure on the country’s healthcare services. With well
established community transmission in several provinces, this
trend is likely to continue for a few more days to weeks. Although
basic public health measures are being promoted by government,
in the form of mandatory cloth masks in public, work from home
where possible, physical distancing and hand hygiene, it is
clear that these messages have not adequately reached densely
populated areas. Most people are now back at work and travelling
daily on public transport and mixing in offices and shopping malls.
Continued economic activity is certainly essential, especially in a
developing world country. However, government urgently require
massive and wide-reaching community engagement and risk
communication strategies to ensure that people who are back at
work take notice of the essential public health measures around
physical distancing, masks and hand hygiene.
https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/...=1&isAllowed=y