[Infographic] Covid-19: Total number of confirmed cases in South Africa now 1 585

The Ministry of Health has announced that as of today, 4 April, the total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases has risen to 1 585. 

This is an increase of 80 from the previously reported cases.

The provincial breakdown is as follows:

South Africa now has a total of 9 confirmed deaths associated with Covid-19.The total number of Covid-19 tests conducted to date is 53 937.

The Department of Health received a report from KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC, Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu that KwaZulu-Natal has 11 confirmed Covid-19 cases linked to St Augustine’s Hospital, in Durban.

Furthermore, 3 of the deceased patients from KwaZulu-Natal had been admitted at the hospital.

The Covid-19 positive cases include patients, health workers, and other staff members. The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health and Netcare management agreed that the sections of the hospital affected be closed and no new patient admissions be permitted.

This is a precautionary measure to allow for a thorough identification of areas within the hospital where there may have been infection control lapses.

The areas that were exposed to positive patients are also being disinfected. At this stage, more than 150 tests have been conducted within the hospital and contact tracing is underway.

As part of intensifying the contact tracing and testing process, MEC Simelane-Zulu has requested that Netcare avails a list of its patients that were exposed to the hospital from the beginning of March.

The Department of Health further made a public announcement asking those that were patients at St Augustine’s Hospital from 1 March 2020 to date to contact the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health.

The Department of Health conveys has its deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the deceased.

They further thanked the doctors, health workers and all staff members of this hospital for their commitment to serve even during these difficult times.

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