An Open Letter: South Africa’s Forgotten Sector
The heads of some of South Africa’s largest NGO and NPOs today published an open letter calling for the visibility and support of a sector critical to millions of South Africans. _____________ Those that we support and those who support us are on the verge of collapse due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We have heeded […]
Read MoreHeart Disease Discovered in COVID-19 Patients
A study at the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London has revealed that the virus could target organs other than those concerned with airway function . Cardiac tissue damage and consequent heart failure has been observed in up to 20 percent of COVID-19 patients. 500,000 single cells from 14 human hearts and […]
Read MoreMobile Covid-19 Testing Units Rolled out in SA
Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has launched 67 mobile sampling and testing units, which will be deployed nationwide to scale up the country’s capacity to test citizens for Covid-19. The National Health Laboratory Services (NHLS) added 60 new units to its fleet of seven to ramp up its testing capacity. These will be deployed to smaller […]
Read MoreCOVID-19: A Guide to Routes of Infection
COVID-19 human receptors International institutions, including Imperial College London, have so far identified likely initial infection points for SARS-CoV-2 (the virus causing COVID-19) in the nose and eyes. Receptors were also found in the intestines and in vital organs such as the heart. Heart tissue damage Heart tissue damage and consequent heart failure is observed […]
Read MoreCOVID-19: Human Entry Points Identified
International institutions, including Imperial College London, have so far identified likely initial infection points for SARS-CoV-2 (the virus causing COVID-19) in the nose and eyes. Receptors were also found in the intestines and in vital organs such as the heart. Heart tissue damage and consequent heart failure is observed in up to 20 percent of […]
Read MoreFlattening the Curve: The Dos and Don’ts of COVID-19 (In Four Languages)
The University of Cape Town, Department of Medicine have produced videos outlining the Dos and Don’ts of COVID-19 in four South African Languages. These videos provide an invaluable resource for businesses and individuals as the battle to slow the spread of the virus continues. Available now in Xhosa, Zulu, Afrikaans and English. Flattening the Curve: […]
Read MoreCoronavirus Q&A with Dr Anthony Fauci
A recent interview with NIAID Director and Presidential Coronavirus Task Force Advisor, Anthony Fauci. Originally streamed on April 8, 2020, the interview offers a fascinating insight into the United State’s response to the pandemic and the greater, global implications.
Read MoreBCG Vaccine and COVID-19: Implications for South Africa
The anecdotal evidence for a positive impact of the Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG) vaccine on COVID-19 disease comes from an ecological study in which morbidity and mortality rates from COVID-19 in various countries are compared in relation to their use of BCG vaccine in the past (Miller et al, medRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.03.24.20042937 not peer- reviewed). The […]
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Governments Around the Globe Rush to Flatten the Curve
The novel coronavirus – COVID-19 – has killed thousands of people around the world since it first emerged in China last December. It has compelled many governments to lock down their populations to a degree unimaginable until recently. It will probably cause the most brutal recession in living memory. Statistical data obtained from the Economist (2020) […]
Read MoreCovid-19 in Africa: fewer cases so far, but more preparation needed
The novel coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak, recently declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation, has taken the world completely by surprise, with governments across the globe scrambling to contain the spread of the virus. Whilst hopes for a vaccine in the immediate short-term are faint, advances in medical technology have enabled us to develop an understanding of […]
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