Dr Musa Mthombeni urges Mzansi to 'buckle up' ahead of third wave of infections

15 June 2021 - 08:20 By kyle zeeman
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Musa Mthombeni has shared his experience in medical facilities amid a new wave of Covid-19 infections.
Musa Mthombeni has shared his experience in medical facilities amid a new wave of Covid-19 infections.
Image: Instagram/ Musa Mthombeni

TV host and certified doctor Musa Mthombeni has urged the nation to “buckle up” amid a surge in new Covid-19 infections.

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), a division of the National Health Laboratory Service, reported on Monday that 5,552 new Covid-19 cases had been identified in SA, representing an 18.5% positivity rate.

The total number of Covid-19 cases in the country now sits at 1,752,630.

The former YO TV presenter took to Twitter on Monday to share his experience as a doctor during the pandemic, detailing how medical facilities were full or nearing capacity.

I just walked into one of the hospitals I work at respiratory area (area where patients coming to hospital with breathing issues). There are at least 50 people being treated. This isn’t a ward. This is an admission area,” he claimed.

The comments section was filled with messages from his followers sharing their experiences with the virus and overrun health facilities.

TimesLIVE reported on Monday that private hospitals in Gauteng are under severe strain, with the country now in a third wave of infection.

SA Medical Association (Sama) chairperson Dr Angelique Coetzee said it is “extremely difficult” to get a bed for Covid-19 patients, with many of the sick “lying in the casualty [wards] in the private sectors”.

“This whole weekend I sat with patients who could not be admitted and whose oxygen levels were low. So you know how stressful that is? Do you know how it feels that the patient can die and there is no bed and you have to treat that patient out of hospital?

“There is no increase in beds, there is no increase in doctors and there is no increase in nurses — and it is not going to change,” she said.

She urged the elderly to get vaccinated.


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