The Gauteng Department of Health is cancelling all elective surgeries as part of its strict measures to deal with the spread of Covid-19.

This followed the declaration of a national state of disaster by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday, 15 March.

On Saturday, it was announced that there were 240 positive cases of Covid-19 across the country.

 READ: Coronavirus: Gauteng ANC suspends political calendar ‘for the benefit of everyone’s health’

Other measures the department had put in place were the following:

– All annual health events were cancelled.

– The outpatient department (OPD) would reduce the number of patient visits by using an appointment system.

– A separate area for patients with flu-like symptoms to be identified at facilities. 

– Thuthuzela Health Care Centre services to be extended beyond providing forensic services.

– Increase the number of chronic patients linked to centralised chronic medical dispensing and distribution, and patients to be provided with a three-month supply of medication, and a repeat script for six months.

– Patients will be encouraged to use Pele boxes for collecting medication.

– Only two people per patient will be allowed during visiting hours at health facilities, with one person per patient for no more than 15 minutes.

Kwara Kekana, spokesperson for Gauteng Health MEC Bandile Masuku, said these measures have been effective since Thursday.

“We thank the public for their cooperation during this period,” Kekana added. 

UAE confirms first two Covid-19 deaths 

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced the deaths of two coronavirus (Covid-19) patients, the first such fatalities to be reported in the country.

The Ministry of Health and Prevention said in a statement late on Friday that one of the two individuals was a 78-year-old “Arab national” who had come from Europe. The cause of death was a heart attack, coinciding with complications from Covid-19, the disease caused by the virus.

The second patient was a 58-year-old “Asian national” and resident of the UAE, who had prior chronic illnesses, including heart disease and kidney failure, which “further complicated” their ability to fight the virus.

The new coronavirus was first detected in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year and has since spread to at least 164 countries and territories.

Earlier this month, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the outbreak a pandemic.

According to data compiled by the US-based Johns Hopkins University, the death toll now exceeds 11 000, of more than 258 000 confirmed cases. Some 87 000 people have recovered.

Despite the rising number of cases and deaths, most who become infected suffer only relatively mild symptoms.

There are 140 cases of the coronavirus reported in the UAE to date. Like other countries around the world, the UAE has introduced restrictions on passenger arrivals, but has not so far imposed confinement measures, with public spaces, such as shopping centres and restaurants remaining open.

More than 1 300 coronavirus infections have been detected in the Gulf region, with most cases initially identified among travellers returning from Iran, one of the world’s hardest-hit countries.

 – AL-JAZEERA NEWS AGENCY