Covid-19 deaths hit 466 in nine days, amid fears that toll may be under-reported

Over the last nine days, 466 people have died in the Eastern Cape as a result of Covid-19.

This was revealed by premier Oscar Mabuyane in his weekly press briefing in East London on Tuesday.

At the same time, DA MPL Jane Cowley has accused the department of health of under-reporting deaths in the province.

Cowley said her question, on just how many people had died from Covid-19, followed the revelation by the South African Medical Research Council that there were 7,597 “excess deaths” recorded in the Eastern Cape between June 6 and July 28.

She said excess deaths were defined as deaths which occurred in excess of what would normally be expected, based on historical figures.

Mabuyane said the 466 deaths took the province’s death toll to 2,255.

“Age, comorbidities in diabetes, hypertension, HIV, asthma, cardiac diseases, cancer and obesity all contribute to this sharp rise in the mortality rate.

“Among the deceased are 85 health-care workers who’ve been on the front line saving the lives of people in our health-care facilities,” he said.

Mabuyane also referred to renowned paediatric cardiologist Lungile Pepeta, who succumbed to Covid-19 related complications on Friday.

“The relentless virus struck at the heart of the medical fraternity and took the life of Professor Lungile Pepeta.

“What pains me the most about his sudden passing is I was in constant communication with him and he was confident he would beat the virus,” Mabuyane said.

More than 5,000 health-care workers in the province have tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

Mabuyane said Covid-19 had struck at the very heart of the state’s efforts  “of using the best human capital to accelerate socioeconomic development”. 

“I say this because of Professor Pepeta, [whose death] follows [the death] of Dr [Monde] Mnyande, who was a board member at the Coega IDZ [industrial development zone] and one of our commissioners in the planning commission.

“The passing of Rev Dr Elizabeth Mamisa Chabula-Nxiweni is also an example,” he said.

Mabuyane said the province expected its numbers to double in the coming months as the “storm is not yet over”.

He said deputy public protector Kholeka Gcaleka’s visit last week and media reports about the dismal state of health care in the province was being addressed by Dr Sibongile Zungu of the province’s new project management unit (PMU).

“I’m impressed by the PMU’s work ethic and deliverables.

“The insights in the deputy public protector’s report will definitely help the PMU.”

Mabuyane said there was no strain in the National Health Laboratory Service in Port Elizabeth as it continued to deliver 90% of test results within 72 hours.

“We now have only 2,733 active cases in the province.

“From these numbers, we can deduce the end of our nightmare might be closer than we anticipated.

“Our effort was reinforced by a further 10 members [of the] Cuban brigade [of doctors], who have recently joined their compatriots in the province,” he said.

In a statement on Monday, Cowley said she would be writing to health MEC Sindiswa Gomba to find out if a directive issued by health minister Zweli Mkhize — that all sudden deaths and home deaths were to be subjected to Covid-19 testing —  was being carried out in the Eastern Cape.

“By July 28, the Eastern Cape had registered 1,545 Covid-19-related deaths but, according to the South African Medical Research Council, there were 7,597 excess deaths in the Eastern Cape recorded between June 6 and July 28.

“In Nelson Mandela Bay, there were 1,481 excess deaths during this period and, in the Buffalo City metro, there were 949.”

Cowley said if deaths proved to be Covid-19-related, it could drive the province’s death toll to well over 8,000.

On Tuesday, senior manager for clinical training Dr Nozipho Jaxa said while the number of Covid-19 infections was going down, the number of deaths was still high.

“It's true that the numbers are going down, but the deaths are still high.

“If we note, people who are dying now were sick during the storm and in hospital with complications.

“Some of our deaths will take some time before they come down,” Jaxa said.

She said they had received a circular from the national health department telling them to treat people who died with symptoms aligned with Covid-19 as positive cases.

“If a person dies unexpectedly with flu-like symptoms, then we must follow up with the person’s family and check for contacts to arrest any complications that can come out of that death,” Jaxa said.

She said tracking teams in the province were still active and once they received the positive diagnosis, the teams sat down and came up with strategies to follow and trace possible contacts.

Provincial health spokesperson Siyanda Manana said there was no under-reporting of deaths currently.

“It had happened in the past but now that has been sorted,” he said.

Manana said Mkhize’s directive that all sudden and home deaths be subjected to Covid-19 testing was being implemented throughout the province.

“Deaths are being recorded daily.

“The districts are adhering to daily reporting,” Manana said.

- HeraldLIVE