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Herald Reporter
Yesterday saw 18 deaths reported from Covid-19, the highest daily total since the beginning of September, and while there was the expected rise in daily new infections after the usual steep fall during weekends, this was only to 2 283, lower than Friday’s 3 263.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care reported that six of the new deaths were facility deaths, meaning that these patients died in hospitals and clinics, and 12 were in the community, meaning that most died at home.
While infection rates are now falling, death rates were expected to continue rising because it takes one to three weeks for someone to die after being infected and two weeks ago the present spike in infections was just getting into its stride.
The seven day rolling averages, which even out things like lower infection reports over weekends as routine testing is cut back, now shows an average of 3 295 new daily infections, continuing its almost week long fall from the 3 665 on Sunday.
But the average death rate, after climbing continuously since the present surge started, fell marginally from 7,3 on Friday to 7,1 on Sunday but jumped to 9,4 yesterday.
The maximum number of new daily cases in the present wave of infection was seen on Friday December 10 with 6 181, with Tuesday last week recording the second highest daily total of 5 678 and the highest rolling average of 4 580.
The fall in infections is probably due to far more people taking special care by masking, sanitising and social distancing as complacency levels fall.
Vaccination has also helped death rates in Bulawayo, adjusted for population, are lower than Harare and death rates are much lower.
Vaccination, even if does not stop infection, is now proven to reduce sharply the average severity of a bout of Covid-19.
Bulawayo now has more than half of its population aged 16 and over fully vaccinated, the leading provincial figure, while Harare and Chitungwiza are less than 30 percent (31,7 for Harare and 22,3 for Chitungwiza). Yesterday Bulawayo recorded two deaths and Harare province 15 although Bulawayo saw 120 new infections and Harare 319, roughly in line with their populations.
Hospitalisations fell on Sunday to 368 with only one in intensive care and 40 diagnosed as severe. Hospital statistics arrive a day later than other Covid-19 figures.
Online Reporter