Covid-19 takes a toll on local hospital, unnatural deaths decrease

Following the continued ban on alcohol sales, a new study has found that the imposed restrictions have led to the reduced number of unnatural deaths.

According to the research published in the SA Medical Journal on July 2 titled, Unnatural deaths, alcohol bans and curfews: Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment during Covid-19, it states the complete restriction on the sale of alcohol resulted in a statistically significant reduction in unnatural deaths regardless of the length of curfew.

“To the contrary, periods where no or limited restrictions on alcohol were in force had no significant effect or resulted in significantly increased unnatural deaths. Death data was collected over 68 weeks from January 2020 to April this year, with information on the nature of restrictions (if any) on the sale of alcohol, and hours of curfew,” the study said.

The data was analysed using a simple ordinary least square (OLS) regression model to estimate the relative contribution of restrictions on the sale of alcohol and hours of curfew to the pattern of excess unnatural deaths.

The Advertiser asked local hospitals what they’ve have seen in their hospitals during the pandemic. According to two Boksburg hospitals, patient admissions for Covid-19 have been staggering.

Tambo Memorial Hospital
Zenzo Ndabula, Tambo Memorial Hospital CEO, said they have seen a decrease in trauma-related (motor vehicle accidents, violence) admissions every time there is a restriction on alcohol sales.

“While there is a reduction of trauma-related admissions, there has been an increase in Covid-19-related admissions. However, we have also seen an increase in people arriving dead at the hospital not because of trauma. To deal with the amounting admissions, we have opened up more beds for Covid-19 patients and reducing beds for trauma-related admissions.”

Ndabula said since the second wave the hospital has added addition staff members on contract but as soon as they get appointed to permanent positions they leave.

Netcare Sunward Park Hospital
Netcare has welcomed the adjusted level four measures announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa, saying this should have a material impact in helping to curtail the further spread of Covid-19 while aiding in flattening the curve.

Dr Richard Friedland, CEO of Netcare, said Netcare is caring for over 2 600 Covid-19 patients across its hospitals in Gauteng. This is 45% higher than the 1 792 patients they had at the peak of the second wave, and almost 100% higher than the 1 377 patients admitted during the peak of the first wave in Gauteng.

“The Delta variant is approximately 50-60% more transmissible than the Beta variant, which was responsible for the second wave in South Africa. It also explains why we have seen whole families, school-going children and younger people testing positive and why we have now seen the admission of patients in their 20s and 30s affected by the virus,” he added.

Friedland said while these restrictions may have come too late to flatten the curve in the province, however, it will certainly lessen the number of infections and admissions to hospitals.

He highlighted that they’ve started scaling down on non-urgent surgery and medical admissions on their coastal hospitals and some have suspended such surgery to rapidly create capacity for the expected increased Covid-19 patient numbers.

“To free up beds for Covid-19 patients, only medically necessary, time sensitive surgeries (MeNTS) will continue, based on the MeNTS scoring system, as well as emergency admission of non-Covid-19 patients.”

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