South Africa’s first confirmed Coronavirus patient is now in a stable condition at Grey’s Hospital in Pietermaritzburg, where he is being treated. The unnamed 38-year-old man was on Thursday hospitalised after being in self-quarantine following a doctor’s visit, which picked up a suspected infection. Briefing reporters on Friday, the Minister of Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize, […]

The South African government has dismissed reports contained in a Mail & Guardian article that South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers are not willing to travel to Wuhan, China, to repatriate citizens. Government Communication and Information Systems (GCIS) Acting Director-General Phumla Williams said the article is misleading and misinforms readers and the public about […]

The Minister of Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize and the NCID (National Institute of Communicable Diseases) will hold a media briefing at the epicentre of South Africa’s Coronavirus outbreak – in Hilton, near to Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal. This comes following the announcement yesterday of South Africa’s first confirmed case of the COVID-19 virus that is currently […]

South Africans should not panic but rather be alert. That is the advice from President Cyril Ramaphosa following the announcement of the first case of the Coronavirus in the country. The President has assured the nation that the SA government is and will continue to demonstrate urgency and caution as South Africa deals with its […]

As coronavirus hit South Africa today with the first confirmed case, and continues to spread around the world, anxiety is rising. Shoppers fearful of quarantine measures have been stocking up on supplies to last out a week or two of isolation. Recent days have seen reports of shortages of hand sanitiser in shops around the […]

The Minister of Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize, has confirmed the first case of Coronavirus in South Africa on Thursday afternoon – a family man who recently returned from a holiday to Italy. The Minister took to Twitter to make the announcement just moments before a Parliamentary debate on South Africa’s readiness to deal with Coronavirus […]

Aaron Lipschitz (5) from Sea Point, Cape Town, is the first child in South Africa to be diagnosed with Interleukin-12 Receptor Defect, a rare genetic condition that affects the immune system. Of the few known cases worldwide, Aaron is the only child who is unable to tolerate any food without becoming very ill. The only […]

While there has been no case of Coronavirus reported in South Africa, people who develop symptoms of respiratory illness during or after travel to countries where the outbreak is known to be circulating, have been advised to seek early medical care. The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) on Monday said it continues to monitor […]

Egypt announced its first Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) case on Friday, making it Africa’s first documented infection. “This is not unexpected and South Africa remains vigilant for cases of COVID-19,” South Africa’s National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) said in a tweet on Saturday. (Watch video below on how ready South Africa is for the […]

False allegations and rumours about the coronavirus outbreak have been running riot on social media and in some mainstream media. Misinformation is rampant and conspiracy theories have added to the confusion. Examples include reports that the virus can kill a person in seconds, that Ghana has developed a successful vaccine and that HIV drugs have […]

Have you ever been unlawfully detained? A staggering number of people in South Africa have, and they’ve instituted civil claims totalling billions of rands against the police for  Unlawful Arrest and Detention. On this week’s episode of Carte Blanche, the current affairs show investigates: what are the reasons behind this disturbing trend? And what to […]

As the Chinese government tries to contain the coronavirus, other cases have occurred across the globe. This raises the question: Will this spread – to me? Am I at risk? Not now, because currently every case of the novel coronavirus is linked to Wuhan. There are lots of different coronaviruses that group into three types. […]

The Health Department has activated an emergency operations centre to deal with the global outbreak of the Coronavirus. “The emergency centre was activated last night and is now currently operational. We are busy building up the staff numbers but from last night, activities have started,” said Health Minister Zweli Mkhize as he detailed the country’s […]

Botswana registered its first ever suspected case of corona virus on Thursday, 30 January 2020. The suspected case was registered at Sir Seretse Khama International Airport upon arrival using Ethiopian Airways from China, the Botswana Government said in a press statement. “The suspect case is still under isolation at Block 8 Clinic and investigations are […]

Following the advice of the Emergency Committee today (30 January 2020), the WHO Director-General has declared the outbreak of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. In China, more than 7700 cases have been confirmed, and 170 people have died. Over 120 have recovered and been discharged from hospital. There are 82 […]

The South African Medical Association (SAMA) has condemned the senseless killing of Joburg anaesthetist, Dr Yasmin Ibrahim, who was allegedly shot and killed by her partner before shooting and killing himself a few days ago. “This is extremely distressing and disturbing news. Dr Ibrahim’s death again highlights the high level of gender-based violence in our […]

The South African National Health Department says while there is no cause for panic with the outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus in China, it has beefed up surveillance at the SA’s ports of entry. “South Africans are assured that measures are in place to detect, manage and contain any cases of Novel Coronavirus should it […]

As more than 500 people have been infected by a viral pneumonia caused by a new coronavirus (named by WHO as 2019-nCoV), and at least 17 people have died, WHO has issued travel advice and prevention advice for the public. The good news is that the World Health Organisation (WHO) convened an Emergency Committee which […]

South Africa’s prevention of mother-to-child transmission programme has achieved remarkable successes in recent years. It has improved the health and life expectancy for pregnant women living with HIV, and it has reduced the risk of transmission of the virus to their offspring. HIV can be transmitted during pregnancy, at the time of delivery, and through […]

Carte Blanche covers a Rolex murder, Sperm Donor Siblings, DNA database disasters plus more, on Sunday 5 January – on DStv Now if you’re in South Africa, and available to stream from Tues 7 January on Showmax International in most other countries.  Mammoth Families – the Stories of Sperm Donor Siblings How would you feel if […]

Deputy President David Mabuza has conceded that while the South African government has made significant inroads in the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic, more needs to be done to curb the scourge. “We must intensify our programme on prevention by employing every method possible to end this epidemic,” he said. The Deputy President made the […]

South Africa’s proposed switch to universal health coverage – known as the National Health Insurance (NHI) program – will be managed in a fiscally responsible way, a senior presidential aide told Reuters, forecasting the landmark reform would cost the state $2.2 billion per year by 2025/26. Meanwhile President Cyril Ramaphosa stressed in the National Assembly […]

The African National Congress (ANC) Study Group on Health says it is pleased with the introduction of the National Health Insurance (NIH) Bill, to Parliament’s Portfolio Committee (PC) on Health. It claims the NHI will guarantee that all South Africans have access to free, comprehensive and quality healthcare in the country’s health facilities… and disputes […]

South Africa published its draft National Health Insurance (NHI) bill on Thursday, with one senior official estimating universal healthcare for millions of poorer citizens would cost about 256 billion rand ($16.89 billion) to implement by 2022. The bill creating an NHI Fund paves the way for a comprehensive overhaul of South Africa‘s health system that would be one of […]

Economic disparities, inequality and unemployment, particularly among young people, remain pervasive in South Africa. Lack of access to services and inadequate living conditions also affect people’s quality of life, health and well-being. Urban living holds the promise of improved conditions. But many people relocating to South Africa’s metropolitan areas have to contend with a host […]