It’s not a matter of “if, but “when” the new coronavirus, will be detected in SA, the Western Cape health department warned on Monday.
The virus, which causes a respiratory illness known as Covid-19, emerged in China in December and in a little more than two months has spread from its epicentre to at least 61 countries. It has sickened more than 89,000 people and killed more than 3,000, the vast majority in China, according to figures published by Johns Hopkins’ Centre for Systems Science and Engineering.
More than a dozen countries have reported their first cases in the past week, including Algeria and Nigeria, heightening fears that the virus will be imported into SA.
The epidemic has battered stocks amid fears of a global economic slowdown triggered by supply chain disruptions. US markets last week suffered their worst week since the 2008 global financial crisis, while on Friday, the JSE concluded its worst week in more than 21 years.
“Our philosophy is that it’s not ‘if’ it’s going to happen but ‘when’ it’s going to happen,” Western Cape head of health Beth Engelbrecht said at a media briefing on Monday afternoon.
The province was focusing on detecting imported cases of Covid-19, and ensuring it was prepared to isolate and treat any confirmed cases, she said.
She emphasised the rapidly changing nature of the epidemic, noting that on Sunday, the World Health Organisation had changed its risk assessment for the entire world to “very high”.
Health authorities were monitoring the situation closely, and would adapt their response as the situation evolved, she said.
The department’s systems had been tested in the past, with disease outbreaks that included measles, SARS and swine flu, and it was doing all it could to prepare for any scenario.
The health department was working closely with the private sector, port health authorities and the Airports Company SA, she said. As of Friday February 28, the province had tested 32 suspected cases of Covid-19, all of which had been negative.
The National Institute of Communicable Diseases said on Monday that it had tested 160 suspected cases of Covid-19 so far, and all were negative.
At present only the central National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) is testing specimens for the coronavirus, but work is under way to accredit provincial and private sector laboratories, said Wayne Smith, head of disaster medicine for the Western Cape health department.
Western Cape MEC for health Nomafrench Mbombo appealed to the public not to share fake or misleading information about Covid-19.
A national public hotline has been established (0800-029-999), which currently operates during office hours. Health minister Zweli Mkhize said on Sunday that the public hotline would operate around the clock should a case be confirmed in SA.
Smith advised anyone who suspected they might have Covid-19 to seek medical attention, and notify their doctor or health facility ahead of their visit.
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