Today South Africa can celebrate 208 144 COVID-19 recoveries in the country.
South Africa (22 July 2020) – As of the 22 July 2020, there were 168 286 active cases of COVID-19 in South Africa, tragically 5 368 deaths but also 208 144 citizens who had recovered from the disease.
COVID-19 is the greatest global shock in decades. Hundreds of thousands of lives have been lost, and the world’s economy likely faces the worst recession since the 1930s. The resulting loss of employment and income will cause further damage to livelihoods, health, and sustainable development.
The numbers can often seem confusing. As of today, South Africa has conducted 2 536 921 tests and had 381 798 total positive results, but positive results change daily as people recover, so even though there have been over 300 000 positive results, only 168 286 South Africans are currently positive. See confusing.
Here is a different way to report the numbers while still using the same numbers:
- Recoveries: 208 144 (13 279 more than yesterday)
- Active Cases: 168 286 (5 304 LESS than yesterday)
- Deaths: 5 368 (195 more than yesterday)
We know that this pandemic is significant, and many will suffer, and we also know not everyone will survive, but the majority of South Africa (and the globe) will recover!
Currently, the Worldometers website states that over 94% of global cases (that are no longer active) have recovered, while the scientific community believe this number is more accurate at 98%. Only time will really tell.
Here in South Africa, a COVID-19 support group has been created on Facebook for people who have recovered, and people who are looking for hope. Everyday South Africans are sharing their inspirational recovery stories which really does bring a different perspective to this pandemic.
You can find the group by clicking here.
Societies need to protect themselves, and to recover, as quickly as possible. But we cannot go back to the way we did things before. Increasing numbers of infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS, SARS and Ebola, have made the jump from wildlife to humans – and all available evidence suggests that COVID-19 has followed the same route. Once human-to-human transmission of COVID-19 began, national and international surveillance and response systems were not strong or fast enough to completely halt transmission. And as infections spread, a lack of universal health coverage has left billions of people, including many in rich countries, without reliable and affordable access to medical treatment. Massive inequalities have meant that deaths and loss of livelihoods have been strongly driven by socioeconomic status, often compounded by gender and minority status.
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Attempting to save money by neglecting environmental protection, emergency preparedness, health systems, and social safety nets, has proven to be a false economy – and the bill is now being paid many times over. The world cannot afford repeated disasters on the scale of COVID-19, whether they are triggered by the next pandemic, or from mounting environmental damage and climate change. Going back to “normal” is not good enough.
In adversity, the crisis has also brought out some of the best in our societies, from solidarity among neighbours, to the bravery of health and other key workers in facing down risks to their own health to serve their communities, to countries working together to provide emergency relief or to research treatments and vaccines. The “lockdown” measures that have been necessary to control the spread of COVID-19 have slowed economic activity, and disrupted lives – but have also given some glimpses of a possible brighter future. In some places, pollution levels have dropped to such an extent that people have breathed clean air, or have seen blue skies and clear waters, or have been able to walk and cycle safely with their children – for the first times in their lives. The use of digital technology has accelerated new ways of working and connecting with each other, from reducing time spent commuting, to more flexible ways of studying, to carrying out medical consultations remotely, to spending more time with our families. Opinion polls from around the world show that people want to protect the environment, and preserve the positives that have emerged from the crisis, as we recover.
Let’s hope that the lockdown in South Africa achieves the same great results from around the world. And as always, thank you to all the incredible frontline heroes who are helping us get through this.
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