Last Thursday the province marked a year since the first positive case of Covid-19 had been recorded. As of Tuesday, a total of 9 472 healthcare workers have received the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine, according to spokesperson for the provincial Department of Health (DoH), Dumisani Malamule.

“This number of frontline healthcare workers includes both private and public health facilities,” he explained. The Department of Health’s HOD, Dr Savera Mohangi, was the first person in the province to be vaccinated.

Premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane said, “We have targeted to vaccinate 69 653 healthcare workers during the first phase, which is currently under way.” On March 12, 2020, Mtshweni-Tsipane called an urgent media briefing. During the briefing she declared the province had nine suspected cases of Covid-19; one tested positive, six negative and the other two were awaiting confirmation.

Last Thursday, Mtshweni-Tsipane said, “Since then, our lives have changed and we have had to intensify the fight against the spread of the pandemic.” On May 30, 2020, the province recorded its first death. According to the provincial DoH, it was a 45-yearold female who had been attended to in Barberton Hospital.

Mtshweni-Tsipane said to date, the province’s recovery rate sits at 97 per cent. “This is commendable, but we want to aim higher than this as we strive for fewer positive cases. The province has currently recorded a total of 72 267 positive cases (4,7 per cent), 1 291 Covid-19 deaths and 1 037 active cases,” she explained.

“We could not have done this alone; our frontline healthcare workers played a pivotal role. They continue to play a central role risking their lives and their families’ to save ours. We salute and thank them for their selflessness,” she said.

The MEC for finance, economic development and tourism, Prince Vusumuzi Mkhatshwa, said during the provincial budget speech global tourism had suffered its worst year on record in 2020 due to the pandemic.

“International arrivals dropped by 74 per cent, according to the latest data from the United Nations World Tourism Organisation. Data collected by the Department of Home Affairs up to December 2020 shows that foreign arrivals into South Africa declined by 71 per cent in 2020 compared to 2019.

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“Mpumalanga’s loss in foreign arrivals for 2020 is estimated at approximately 73 per cent. The loss in total tourism spend in the province for 2020 is estimated at 81,2 per cent of the 2019 value, and the loss in bed nights for 2020 is estimated at 62 per cent,” he explained.

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Mtshweni-Tsipane said the battle against Covid-19 is not over yet. “We must still continue to form a united front against this pandemic. Therefore, please continue to follow Covid-19 protocols.” She added that the public definitely still has to wear masks, sanitise, wash hands with soap and keep social distancing.