South African Covid-19 News and Discussions 2

[MiW]

14 police officers have died of Covid-19: Bheki Cele

Police minister Bheki Cele says 14 police officers have died from Covid-19, with the number of infected officers now at 1,685.

www.timeslive.co.za

1.2%

 

[Geoff.D]

Stop mass Covid-19 testing now - irate scientists to Health Minister Zweli Mkhize | News24

Scientists have for weeks called on the Department of Health to stop its mass testing programme and to rather focus on hospitals and healthcare workers.

www.news24.com

Been calling this for weeks. Hence the criticism I have always had about the so-called test figures in GP, which is just a swab count nothing more.
If there is a shortage of resources, you focus the resources where they can best deliver on objectives. Why is it so difficult for our govt to see that?

According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), the average turnaround time for tests is now around nine days, up from two days in April.

Venter and others say that the country does not have enough testing resources to continue with the programme, and that unless all tests can be returned within 12–24 hours, it is impossible to isolate positive cases in time to prevent them from spreading the virus.

Venter told News24 on Friday: "We are also told they are getting on top of their 'backlog'. Let's be clear, after 48 hours, it's not a backlog, it's medical waste that must be thrown away...

 

[Paulsie]

14 police officers have died of Covid-19: Bheki Cele

Police minister Bheki Cele says 14 police officers have died from Covid-19, with the number of infected officers now at 1,685.

www.timeslive.co.za

1.2%

I wonder how many of them were assigned to roadblocks and vehicle searches.

 

[Geoff.D]

That is a very interesting table, but for all the wrong reasons. A competent statistician would rip it to shreads! IMO it emphasises that case figures are completely misleading, due to the faulty testing protocols, and biases in sample selection.

There are several 'giveaways' that clearly demonstrate the sample biases:
1. The clearest is number of cases per 100k population. It is obvious that these numbers are biased towards those most seriously infected, with a large number of asymptomatic or mild cases completely excluded from the data.
2. There is no plausible mechanism whereby the case rate would vary arbitrarily across age demographics, with an obvious bias towards those most seriously ill (similar to #1).

Some useful information, and bonus points for effort, but zero points for epidemiological insights.

Yet, even the experts in the game (many of them epiwhatsinames, use exactly the same analysis to push their views!
So, while I agree with you from a technical point of view, his analysis is simple, easy for ordinary okes to interpret and it serves a very useful purpose in exposing the official BS going on.

 

[Geoff.D]

Scooters with beds.. why.. how..
Have they been on a bike in SA?

At least they will be able to be used as one passenger taxis in SA to take on the Taxi mafia in the future.
So, we should applaud the innovation, but not make such a big song and dance about its effectiveness in addressing the epidemic.

 

[Geoff.D]

I wonder how many of them were assigned to roadblocks and vehicle searches.

Pretty sure all of them. They picked it up in one of their unnecessary searches and passed it on far and wide.

 

[The_Right_Honourable_Brit]

Jobs gone, investments wasted: Africa’s deserted safaris leave mounting toll

A slump in tourist dollars has hit conservation projects hard.

www.moneyweb.co.za

THE ANC MUST BE SO PROUD.

 

[The_Right_Honourable_Brit]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1Abg272200766925819904

 

[The_Right_Honourable_Brit]

 

[now05ster]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1Abg272200766925819904

Something is wrong with the URL.

 

[dualmeister]

4302

 

[The_Right_Honourable_Brit]

Why the Eastern Cape's lobby to have alcohol ban reinstated is likely to fail | News24

The Eastern Cape's poor response to the Covid-19 pandemic is part of the reason why the Cabinet would not consider its request to have the alcohol ban reinstated, say leaders.

www.news24.com

 

[The_Right_Honourable_Brit]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1272423913847488512

Another day in court for the government. Related to this case I guess:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1270305350697340929

 

[daelm]

Oh ffs sugar isn't a killer, nice try. Diabetes and obesity aren't only linked to sugar, it's a high GI food stuff, so we need to get rid of bread, pap and cooked potatoes.

agreed that there are many processed food problems. that said:

Sugary beverage intake and preclinical Alzheimer's disease in the community - PubMed

Higher intake of sugary beverages was associated cross-sectionally with markers of preclinical AD.

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of Soft Drink Consumption on Nutrition and Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

In a meta-analysis of 88 studies, we examined the association between soft drink consumption and nutrition and health outcomes. We found clear associations of soft drink intake with increased energy intake and body weight. Soft drink intake also was associated with lower intakes of milk...

ajph.aphapublications.org

Sugar Intake and Cardiovascular Diseases Mortality

Yang et al examine time trends of added sugar consumption as percentage of daily calories in the United States and investigate the association of this consumption with cardiovascular disease mortality. See the Invited Commentary by [IIC130095].

jamanetwork.com

 

[Polymathic]

View attachment 860537

The DA f*cke up big time, first by waiting for the first confirmed case in SA to actually do something, secondly following the NCCC's lead in the initial parts of the lockdown.

 

[Temujin]

Minister Zulu admits she never expected COVID-19's crippling impact on poor

Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu said that COVID-19 had exposed the deeper challenge the country was still facing to take better care of the poor.

ewn.co.za

Shutting down the economy, cutting off peoples only way to feed themselves and 'I can't believe'... these are the idiots running this **** show

 

[The_Right_Honourable_Brit]

Minister Zulu admits she never expected COVID-19's crippling impact on poor

Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu said that COVID-19 had exposed the deeper challenge the country was still facing to take better care of the poor.

ewn.co.za

Shutting down the economy, cutting off peoples only way to feed themselves and 'I can't believe'... these are the idiots running this **** show

Love the poor writing from EWN:

President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a state of disaster on Monday, 15 June, exactly three months ago when the country had 61 confirmed cases and zero deaths.

 

[MiW]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1272439799211855872

So 0.8% get critical care , and 2% died ... South Africa has been cited as a leader in the #COVID19 outbreak response.

Maybe I am just to stupid to get it?

 

[Sinbad]

I see our charming and erudite Minister of Social Development has stated that she had no idea of the impact that lockdown would have on poor people....

Minister Zulu admits she never expected COVID-19's crippling impact on poor

Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu said that COVID-19 had exposed the deeper challenge the country was still facing to take better care of the poor.

ewn.co.za

Seriously? What the **** did you think would happen? Were you so invested in the idea that the majority of poor people are excluded from the economy that killing the economy would have no effect on them?

 

[Lupus]

I see our charming and erudite Minister of Social Development has stated that she had no idea of the impact that lockdown would have on poor people....

Minister Zulu admits she never expected COVID-19's crippling impact on poor

Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu said that COVID-19 had exposed the deeper challenge the country was still facing to take better care of the poor.

ewn.co.za

Seriously? What the **** did you think would happen? Were you so invested in the idea that the majority of poor people are excluded from the economy that killing the economy would have no effect on them?

You are applying logic and thought, two things the ANC has never used.