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Cape Town. — Premier Alan Winde has said that the Western Cape Department of Health has received the recommendations of the Ministerial Advisory Committee and is finalising the clinical protocols for the use of Dexamethasone.
The premier said that researchers in the UK have released positive initial findings around the use of the steroid Dexamethasone in critically ill Covid-19 patients.
“These preliminary findings have shown a reduction in mortality in patients who are being ventilated and to a lesser degree, in those who require oxygen support.
“The drug has been in use since the 1960s, and is widely available with several generic versions in production, making it affordable too.
“Yesterday, Minister Zweli Mkhize indicated that while we wait for the results of the full study to be made available, the use of the drug could be considered for Covid-19 positive patients who are being mechanically ventilated, and patients who require oxygen support,” he said.
The premier did, however, stress that this drug is not a cure and it is not for use in patients with milder symptoms.
“We are, however, encouraged that it has the potential to be life-saving for some of the people most severely impacted by this disease.”— IOL.
JOHANNESBURG. — South Africa saw a massive jump in coronavirus infections in the past 24 hours, with 4 302 cases recorded, bringing the total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in the country to 70 038.
Zweli Mkhize, South Africa’s health minister, also said in a statement that 57 more Covid-19 deaths had been recorded, bringing the total fatalities to 1 480 with a mortality rate of 2.2 percent.
Despite the high numbers of cases and deaths, health experts continue to applaud South Africa’s mass testing campaign.
South Africa has so far tested 1.12 million people for Covid-19, with 34 071 tests done over the weekend.
“The recoveries to date are 38 531, this translates to a recovery rate of 55 percent,” Mkhize said.
The Western Cape Province, which is a tourism hub, remains the country’s epicentre of the virus, reporting a high number of cases and deaths daily. — Anadolu Agency.
Online Reporter