AmaRharhabe Kingdom Queen Noloyiso Sandile dies of Covid-19

AmaRharhabe Kingdom Queen Regent Noloyiso Sandile has died of Covid-19 at the age of 56.

Her spokesperson, Prince Zolile Burns Ncamashe, confirmed her death to News24 on Wednesday.

President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed his sadness and described the queen as “a bastion of traditional values and an inspiring and principled leader of her people”.

Covid-19 storm is approaching – Mkhize

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize announced that the Covid-19 storm, which the government had consistently warned South Africans of, “is now arriving”.

He said, as of Tuesday, South Africa had 10 144 new cases, which brought the cumulative confirmed cases to 215 855.

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde tests positive for Covid-19

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde is self-isolating at home for the next 14 days after confirming he tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday.

“I received a positive test result for Covid-19 this morning, and I am in self-isolation at home for 14 days,” Winde said in a statement on Wednesday.

Science and innovation dept to research traditional medicine for Covid-19 fight

The Department of Higher Education, Science and Innovation has reassigned R15 million from existing indigenous knowledge projects to support Covid-19 interventions, Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister Blade Nzimande said in a briefing on Wednesday.

“We are in the process of implementing multiple interventions including the use of African medicines as immune modulators and anti-coronavirus therapeutics,” he said.

North West Premier Job Mokgoro checks into hospital for voluntary self-quarantine

North West Premier Job Mokgoro has chosen to go into voluntary self-quarantine on Wednesday after testing positive for Covid-19.

According to his spokesperson, Vuyisile Ngesi, Mokgoro “is in good spirits”, but has taken the decision to limit his staff’s exposure to Covid-19 by going into quarantine at a hospital facility.

Life Healthcare sends in more nurses as it battles spike in Covid-19 admissions

Hospital group Life Healthcare is recruiting staff and beefing up its equipment supplies, having been faced with a shortage of nurses as its hospital admissions for Covid-19 increased sharply.

In a letter to doctors last week, Adam Pyle, Life Healthcare South Africa CEO, said the group now has over 1 000 Covid-19 patients in its hospitals across the country.