Exponential growth of Covid-19 threatens health service collapse – By Joseph Hanlon

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Exponential growth of Covid-19 threatens health service collapse – By Joseph Hanlon

7:35 CAT | 19 Sep 2020

File photo: MISAU

“We may be marching towards the collapse of our health system”, warned the Deputy National Director of Public Health, Benigna Matsinhe, at a press conference Monday (14 Sept). After a very slow increase since the first case in March, the last two weeks have seen a jump. She said that the previous fortnight had seen:

+ 28% increase in the total number of cases
+ doubling of hospitalisations
+ a 34% increase in the total number of deaths

This is a real increase in infections, and not a mere reflection of an increase in the number of people being tested, director of surveys at the National Health Institute (INS), Sergio Chicumbe told the press conference. More than half the new cases and more than half the total cases are in the capital – Maputo city and Matola.

Mozambique’s case rate is still low, with 182 cases per million population and 1 death per million. This is compared to 11,000 cases and 261 death per million in South Africa, 6,400 and 184 for Portugal, and 20,000 and 600 for both the USA and Brazil. But the sharp rise in the past two weeks has caused serious concern.

“From our epidemiological analysis, we believe we have not yet reached the peak”, Chicumbe said, adding that holding back the peak is essential to reduce the pressure on the Mozambican health service.

Matsinhe warned: “We can be certain that, unless there is a radical change in behaviour by all of us, investing in prevention and in eliminating all the risk factors that contribute to the spread of the disease, then we may be marching towards the collapse of our health system”.

By Joseph Hanlon

Source: News reports & clippings