After South Africa recorded more than 10 800 new coronavirus cases in a single day, the country has released hundreds of military medics to help combat the pandemic in the Eastern Cape.
The Eastern Cape has been one of the most affected provinces experiencing a surge in infections.Having knowledge of these results, the minister of health fears that the country might be forced to go back to level 5 of the lockdown in order to avoid the spread of the pandemic.
Although South Africa imposed strict stay-home regulations in March, the number of infections is rising by thousands each day having highly populated provinces much at risk. The Eastern Cape is one of the provinces that is not coping as they also have personnel equipment shortage.
The military has sent forty seven defence medical personnel to rescue Eastern Cape city of Port Elizabeth. These doctors will work together with the Cuban doctors that were deployed in Eastern Cape a month ago.
Failing to shore up the health service, the province was the first to request help from the defence military. The defence force however responded to this call by deploying out doctors, nurses, health technicians and clinical support staff to help East Cape Province.
Commenting on this, defence force spokesperson Thabo Sello said: “When the nation calls us, we have to respond, and respond quickly,”
“So our duty as the army medical personnel is not only to treat people, but also to educate them about this virus,” continued Sello.
Already, the province has more than 200 Cuban medical personnel who arrived in the country last month to help fight against the pandemic.
