Coronavirus has infected some 13,000 South African health workers and killed more than 100 of them, the health ministry said Thursday, as the virus takes a toll on frontline caregivers.
South Africa holds the highest number of infections on the continent with 408,052 recorded cases and 5,940 deaths so far.
It is also the world’s fifth worst-affected country in terms of diagnosed infections.
For more coronavirus news, visit our dedicated page.Health ministry spokesman Popo Maja told AFP that 13,174 health workers had become infected as of Tuesday, including 103 deaths and 6,394 people declared recovered.
South Africa’s statistics were unveiled as the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that more than 10,000 health workers in 40 countries had been sickened by the virus.
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“The growth we are seeing in COVID-19 cases in Africa is placing an ever-greater strain on health services across the continent,” said Matshidiso Moeti, WHO regional director for Africa, at a news conference on Thursday.
“This has very real consequences for the individuals who work in them, and there is no more sobering example of this than the rising number of health worker infections,” she said.
A combination of a recent spike in infections, staff shortages and a lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) have been blamed for the infection increases.