A host of South African rugby stars remain stranded in Japan after their flights back home were cancelled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic sweeping the world.
With Japan’s Top League 2020 season now cancelled, players and coaches looked to book flights to South Africa ahead of this country’s lockdown at midnight last Thursday.
Some were more fortunate than others.
Sport24 reported last week that several South African players and coaches were stuck at a Tokyo airport after Emirates had cancelled their flights.
However, of the group, Springbok Rugby World Cup stars Duane Vermeulen and Jesse Kriel were able to fly back in time after getting later flights – via Ethiopia – but others were not so lucky, including hooker Malcolm Marx, centre Damian de Allende and lock RG Snyman.
Flank Kwagga Smith managed to catch an earlier flight and arrived back in South Africa last Monday.
According to Rapport, 10 South African players arrived back in time for the lockdown – Vermeulen, Kriel, Smith, Rynier Bernardo, Reniel Hugo, Jan de Klerk, SP Marais, Clinton Swart, Kobus van Dyk and Carl Wegner.
Players still stranded in Japan are believed to include Marx, Snyman, De Allende, Matthys Basson, Lionel Cronje, Jean Droste and Jason Jenkins.
Bussiness Developer in Cape Town | Field Sales | Job Mail | 4670584
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Cape town Business Developer Responsible for the Western Cape Business Development Must have detailed understanding of design/ Build markets and contracts. Please send cv to annelize@jobs4all.co.za
The new coronavirus may be a respiratory bug, but it’s becoming clear that some severely ill patients sustain heart damage. And it may substantially raise their risk of death, doctors in China are reporting.
They found that among 416 patients hospitalised for severe Covid-19 infections, almost 20% developed damage to the heart muscle. More than half of those patients died.
Doctors in China have already warned that heart injuries appear common in Covid-19 patients, particularly those with existing heart disease or high blood pressure. A recent study found that 12% of hospitalised patients had the complication.
These latest findings, from a team led by Dr Bo Yang of Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, and recently published in JAMA Cardiology, add a concerning layer: Patients who develop heart damage may face an “unexpectedly” high risk of death.
Cardiologists ready to jump in
Much remains to be learned. For one, the findings come from a single hospital in Wuhan, where the outbreak began. US experts said it’s not known whether the grim outlook will hold true at other hospitals worldwide.
“We certainly hope not,” said Dr Thomas Maddox, head of the Science and Quality Committee of the American College of Cardiology (ACC).
The ACC has already issued clinical guidance to cardiologists. Among other things, it highlights the extra risks to patients with heart disease, and tells cardiologists to be ready to jump in to assist other doctors caring for severely ill patients.
“We’re anticipating that patients with underlying cardiovascular disease will struggle,” Maddox said.
The novelty of the coronavirus means that it’s not fully clear how to best manage those hospitalised patients. Standard heart medications and devices to provide cardiac support are being used, according to Maddox.
“We are continuing to figure this out,” he said.
An important question
But the importance of prevention is more obvious than ever. Maddox said people with existing heart disease – such as a past heart attack – or a history of stroke should consider themselves at “high risk” and be vigilant about protecting themselves.
For those living in a community with a Covid-19 outbreak, that means staying home as much as possible, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Meanwhile, all high-risk people should wash their hands often, disinfect surfaces they routinely touch, and be serious about “social distance” if they do go out.
Among the unknowns, though, is whether people with high blood pressure might also fall into the high-risk category.
“This is an important question, and one on many people’s minds,” said Dr Elliott Antman, former president of the American Heart Association and a senior physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
Of the 82 patients in this study who developed a heart injury, 60% had high blood pressure. About 30% had a previous diagnosis of coronary heart disease, while almost 15% had chronic heart failure.
Leading theories
Antman said it’s hard to tell whether high blood pressure alone – without other health issues – was a risk factor for heart injury. Plus, he said, there’s no information on whether patients’ high blood pressure was under control with medication or not.
Of patients who sustained heart damage, just over 51% died in the hospital, according to the study. That compared with 4.5% of those without heart injury.
It’s not certain, though, that the heart complication is actually what caused those deaths, Antman said. “This could all be a reflection of a very bad infection,” he explained.
Why does the coronavirus wreak havoc on some patients’ hearts?
Again, no one is sure, Maddox said. But he explained the leading theories.
Don’t stop taking prescriptions
One suspect is the immune system’s reaction to the coronavirus. If it veers out of control, in what’s called a “cytokine storm”, it can damage the body’s organs. A second possibility is that in people who already have heart disease, the overall stress of the infection harms the heart muscle.
Finally, it’s possible that the new coronavirus directly invades the heart, Maddox said. Researchers say the virus very effectively latches onto receptors on our body cells called ACE2. Those receptors are found not only in the lungs, but elsewhere in the body – including the heart and digestive tract, he explained.
There has been some speculation that common blood pressure drugs – ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers – might make people more vulnerable to falling ill with Covid-19. But that is based only on animal research suggesting that the drugs can boost the activity of ACE2 receptors.
Maddox and Antman stressed that no one should stop taking their prescriptions, since poorly controlled high blood pressure or heart disease would be dangerous – especially now.
Highbury Media (Pty) Ltd is currently recruiting Sales Executives to join their Sales Team working on a wide range of Business to Business, Lifestyle & Leisure and Sporting titles.
The successful candidate must be able to:
-Determine the target audience, conduct research, source and maintaining new clients
-Inform the potential client of the publication and its benefits
-Develop an “angle” to affirm the relevance between product/service and publication you represent.
-Close a deal
Requirements for the position:
-Preferred, prior telemarketing and/or “customer service” experience a plus
-Strong command of the English language – with good verbal and written communication skills.
-Demonstrated negotiation and problem-solving skills with the ability to work independently and be self-motivated.
-Basic PC/keyboard skills required
Applications and closing date:
Please submit your CV (PDF format preferred), outlining what makes you suitable for this position. – CV may not be longer than two (2) A4 pages
Closing date for applications: 31 January 2020 * If you have not been notified of the outcome of your application by 03 February 2020, please accept that your application was unsuccessful.
Ramsay Media (Pty) Ltd is currently recruiting Sales Executives to join their dynamic Sales Teams working on its four iconic titles.
The successful candidate must be able to:
-Determine the target audience, conduct research, source and maintaining new clients
-Inform the potential client of the publication and its benefits
-Develop an “angle” to affirm the relevance between product/service and publication you represent.
-Close a deal
Requirements for the position:
-Preferred, prior telemarketing and/or “customer service” experience a plus
-Strong command of the English language – with good verbal and written communication skills.
-Demonstrated negotiation and problem-solving skills with the ability to work independently and be self-motivated.
-Basic PC/keyboard skills required
Applications and closing date:
Please submit your CV (PDF format preferred), outlining what makes you suitable for this position. – CV may not be longer than two (2) A4 pages
Closing date for applications: 31 January 2020 * If you have not been notified of the outcome of your application by 03 February 2020, please accept that your application was unsuccessful.
The number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases in the Netherlands passed the 10,000 mark on Sunday, the authorities said, as the country focuses on building up herd immunity rather than confining the population of 17 million.
A total of 771 people have died from the COVID-19 epidemic in the Netherlands and 10,866 have tested positive, the country’s institute for public health and environment (RIVM) said.
The Dutch government has adopted a series of measures to fight the virus, but has decided so far not to force people to stay home. A review of the policy is due to be unveiled on Tuesday.
Egypt
Egypt has shuttered several hospitals and quarantined villages in an attempt to halt the rising infection rate of new coronavirus in the most populous Arab state.
A Cairo hospital was closed for sterilisation late Saturday after two COVID-19 cases were confirmed.
An official at Al-Salam hospital told AFP on Sunday: “We are currently disinfecting the hospital for the safety of everyone concerned. One patient had come in tested positive and a member of our staff was infected after”.He said no date was yet set for re-opening the facility.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi authorities have seized more than five million medical masks that were illegally stockpiled amid the coronavirus outbreak, state media reported Sunday, as the death toll in the kingdom doubled.
The commerce ministry seized 1.17 million masks from a private store in Hail, northwest of the capital, after authorities Wednesday confiscated more than four million masks stored in a facility in the western city of Jeddah in violation of commercial regulations, the official Saudi Press Agency reported.
The ministry said people behind such activities would be prosecuted, and that the confiscated masks would be redistributed to the open market.
It is now abundantly clear that the most effective way for a society to contain the spread of the disease is for the population to remain at home and physically isolated from each other for at least several weeks, writes President Cyril Ramaphosa in hisweekly newsletter.
Dear Fellow South African,
As we begin the first full week of the nationwide lockdown to combat the coronavirus pandemic that is devastating the world, we are grateful for good news that brings us joy and hope at this difficult and uncertain time.
Yesterday, I was in Polokwane to meet the 114 South Africans who were evacuated from Wuhan in China two weeks ago. They have ended their quarantine and are finally going home to be with their families. They have all tested negative for the virus and are in good health and good spirits.
For months, they have been in lockdown, first in Wuhan for some 51 days and then in Polokwane for 14 days. They have been unable to be with their loved ones, unable to leave their living quarters and uncertain about when their ordeal would end. When we add the remaining 17 days that South Africa will be under lockdown they will have been under lockdown for 82 days.
It was wonderful to spend time with this diverse group of South Africans made up of all ages, languages and backgrounds. I was impressed by their resilience and courage and by their determination to remain healthy. They have come from the epicentre of the coronavirus in Wuhan in China and have seen the devastating impact this virus is wreaking on human life. It is not surprising to hear them say that they are on a mission to safeguard the health of those around them. Now their patience and fortitude has been rewarded, because they are returning to their families.
Their return home was made possible by a great many people who went to great lengths to make this repatriation operation a success.
As a nation, we are extremely grateful to the Government and the people of China for taking such good care of our citizens, and for their assistance in organising their repatriation. It is significant that several of the South Africans in Wuhan were on study scholarships from the Chinese government; an act of generosity that is deeply appreciated.
We are grateful too to all the people who were involved in the operation, from the SAA flight crew to the medical team to the police and soldiers who brought them home. Each and every one of them stepped forward to take responsibility for the safety and well-being of others. They were prepared to undertake a difficult and dangerous mission and to subject themselves to quarantine. And now, they all tell me, they are ready for their next mission.
I wish to thank the staff and management of the Ranch Hotel in Polokwane, who took great care of the returnees. They were prepared to play their part in our national effort to overcome this disease. Everyone involved in this operation has done South Africa proud.
The experience of the South Africans in Wuhan demonstrates the effectiveness – and the necessity – of a state of lockdown. It was due to the drastic actions that the Chinese government took to contain the disease in the city of Wuhan, that all of our people were able to return uninfected and healthy.
Wuhan, a city of 11 million people in the province of Hubei, had more than 50 000 infections. Now, after more than two months after stringent lockdown measures were put in place, the province has had fewer than 20 new cases in the past two weeks.
The containment of the disease in Wuhan City, in Hubei Province and in other places across China required a massive and extraordinary effort. It involved drastic restrictions on daily life and is having a severe impact on the Chinese economy. Other countries that have taken similar measures are having greater success in managing the spread of the disease than countries that have been slower to respond.
As the total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases worldwide grows to over 700 000 and the number of deaths exceeds 33 000, we can draw lessons from these countries.
It is now abundantly clear that the most effective way for a society to contain the spread of the disease is for the population to remain at home and physically isolated from each other for at least several weeks. And it is important that this lockdown and all other emergency measures are both strictly adhered to and consistently enforced.
As the South Africans from Wuhan can testify, such restrictions on daily life, on movement and on ordinary human contact are extremely difficult to endure. In the South African context, a lockdown brings additional hardship and strain, and we are doing everything within our means to lessen the impact on our people.
But the lesson from the South Africans in Wuhan is that a lockdown works. It shows that if we strictly observe the rules in place to stop the virus spreading, we will be able to bring infection rates down. It shows that if we cooperate with health authorities in doing what we have to do, we won’t be just saving our own lives but those around us too.
The story of our South African returnees from Wuhan should give us encouragement and hope in the difficult weeks that lie ahead.
Their story tells us that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, that if we stay the course, that if we remain disciplined and respect the lockdown, that if we work together, we will overcome.
New & Fleet Car Sales Executive in Hillcrest | Other General Employment | Job Mail | 4664382
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To facilitate learning and teaching in the undergraduate and postgraduate field of visual art, as well as research supervision of postgraduates. Particular focus is required in the visual communication, communication design and graphic design fields.
KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS
Facilitate the learning processes in the Department
Conduct research and contribute to creative outputs
Perform assessments, curriculum development and administration
Support postgraduate research and supervision in the Visual Arts programme
Develop and maintain national engagement practices
CORE COMPETENCIES
Expert knowledge of the theory and practice of graphic design, visual communication, conceptualisation techniques and trans-disciplinary practice.
significant experience of techniques, processes, technologies and production as it pertains to contemporary practices in the discipline.
Expert knowledge of visual art theory and research, but specifically as it pertains to visual communication and graphic design.
Ability to develop and innovate course content so as to keep programmes relevant and current
Experience of a variety of teaching and learning methodologies at undergraduate and postgraduate level
Proven competencies in the functions pertinent to the managing, stocking and maintenance of a large studio environment.
Computer literacies commensurate with the requirements of all forms of lecture delivery, academic administration and the studio and student management.
Demonstrate evidence of ongoing creative practice and national engagement.
Establish engagement practice and networks through liaison with professionals, peers and the creative arts industry.
Experience of initiating and contributing to community engagement and community engagement programmes in visual arts
REQUIREMENTS
In order to be considered for appointment to this post, candidates should have a minimum master’s qualification at NQF9. Evidence of research supervision at Honours and Master’s level is requisite.
NEW LISTING… STUNNING THREE BEDROOM GROUND FLOOR APARTMENT! SUPERB POSITION IN COMPLEX! PRICED FOR A QUICK RENTAL!
Three Bedrooms with built-in Cupboards One spacious Bathroom… Bath and Shower Open plan Living Area Lovely Kitchen… space for two Appliances
All Rooms tiled Access Control and 24 Hours Security Two covered Parking Bays… Ample Visitors’ Parking Complex located near Gautrain Bus and Taxi route
