(Fighting New Coronary Pneumonia) New Coronary Pneumonia is raging in South Africa: The African continent is still in a state of "national disaster" with the heaviest epidemic
China News Agency, Johannesburg, March 5 (Reporter Wang Xi) As of now, the total number of confirmed cases of new coronary pneumonia in South Africa has reached 1,517,666 and 50,462 deaths. It is currently the country with the most severe epidemic of new coronary pneumonia on the African continent.
On March 5 last year, South Africa’s Minister of Health Mukez confirmed that a South African citizen who had just returned from a tourist in Italy had contracted the new crown pneumonia, thus becoming the first confirmed case of new crown pneumonia in South Africa.
In order to prevent the rapid spread of the epidemic, South Africa has been in a "state of national disaster" since March 15, 2020.
Since 0:00 on March 27, 2020, the South African government has implemented a nationwide "blockade order." The large-scale blockade has also caused South Africa's already weak economy to suffer heavy losses since then. The exchange rate of the currency rand to the US dollar was in April last year. Continuously hit new lows.
However, strict epidemic prevention measures have slowed down the growth rate of the new crown pneumonia epidemic in South Africa, and the South African government has gradually relaxed the "blockade order" level from April 23, 2020.
Especially since October 2020, South Africa has completely lifted various bans against the epidemic, which is intended to accelerate the pace of economic recovery.
However, the good times did not last long. Due to the reopening of borders, the resumption of inbound tourism, and the general relaxation of South African people, the South African epidemic rebounded from the end of November last year. In particular, the discovery of mutant viruses has made the South African epidemic worse. Since December Since then, the second wave of new crown pneumonia epidemic peaks has been ushered in. On January 7 this year, the number of new confirmed cases of new crown pneumonia in South Africa in a single day exceeded the 20,000 mark.
In response, the South African government re-escalated the “blockade order” of the epidemic and implemented a number of strict measures such as prohibiting the sale of alcohol products and extending the curfew.
After nearly three months of hard work, South Africa has now successfully passed the second wave of epidemic peaks. South African President Ramaphosa also announced on February 28 that the level of the "blockade order" would be reduced to the lowest level.
However, this move by the South African government has caused controversy. South African medical expert and vaccinology professor Shabir Madi recently pointed out that the approaching Easter holiday, the gradual cooling of the weather in the southern hemisphere, and the existence of mutant viruses are likely to lead to the third wave in South Africa. The peak of the new crown pneumonia epidemic has arrived ahead of schedule.
Fortunately, South Africa is currently advancing the new crown pneumonia vaccination work. According to Ramaphosa, the South African government has ordered 11 million and 20 million doses of vaccines with Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer respectively. The South African government will also obtain 12 million doses through the WHO-led "New Coronary Pneumonia Vaccine Implementation Plan" (COVAX). vaccine. (Finish)