South Africa: Hospitals run out of oxygen amid second wave of COVID-19

The ministers and top officials in South Africa are been expected to be recalled from their respective festive break by Cyril Ramaphosa, the President of the country, according to a report by Economic Times.

The country has reportedly noticed an unprecedented COVID-19 spike and deaths. The hospitals in the country are turning patients back due to a lack of beds and oxygen available, as reported in Sunday Times, by a resource, "I can confidently say that the meeting (called by Ramaphosa) will be on Tuesday (to) consider further measures to ensure that we curb this alarming rate of spread".

The country is reporting high infections daily with several 14 thousand for the past week predicted to exceed a million, it reported.

As of Sunday, the country has reported more than 1004,413 COVID-19 cases, with 9,502 new cases, 26735 deaths, and 844874 recoveries, according to the Department of Health South Africa.

However, the country announced to stick to 'non-pharmaceutical' ways, tweeting;

We have now breached one million cumulative #COVID19 cases in South Africa. We must adhere to non-pharmaceutical interventions to prevent the further spread of the virus. pic.twitter.com/WDHu0lNUof

— Department of Health (@HealthZA) December 27, 2020

The second wave is reportedly expected to be even worse than the prior, as described by Zweli Mkhize, the Health Minister due to large gatherings in the festive season.

As said by Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, the Tourism Minister of the country, "people are just not listening". However, the condition has caused doctors and nurses to panic. As quoted by one of the doctors in Johannesburg, "it is emotionally draining because we are basically deciding who dies first, as we cannot even get enough supplies of oxygen".

Reportedly said by another doctor, the country is facing a second wave before the expected time, as stated, "this second wave has hit us sooner than expected right in the middle of our summer, so what are we going to do when the winter season with its higher risks start in a few months' time? Even now, we are losing colleagues daily as they valiantly try to save others".