Academy calls for greater vigilance as country remains free of confirmed cases
South Africa’s high HIV/Aids burden and strained economy make it vulnerable to a possible novel coronavirus outbreak, the Academy of Science of South Africa has warned.
Assaf released the statement on 2 March on Covid-19, the respiratory disease caused by the virus which has spread to more than 80 countries worldwide. No cases have been reported in South Africa yet.
While Assaf praised the response of the national health department and its reference laboratory, the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, which has processed all testing so far, it called for even greater vigilance.
Covid-19 can lead to severe pneumonia and respiratory or kidney failure in the elderly or people with existing health conditions. Assaf said that while the risks to people with HIV or tuberculosis from Covid-19 coinfection had not been established, there was some evidence that it could worsen symptoms.
“Individuals living with HIV have an eight-fold greater burden of hospitalisation for pneumonia due to influenza virus, and a three-fold higher case fatality risk,” it said.
The academy warned that the economic repercussions of a widespread Covid-19 outbreak could be dire, and that it was coming at a time when the country’s economy was reeling.
“[South Africa] has been bordering on a recession and where economic growth has been stagnant over the past few years,” the statement read. Statistics South Africa announced that the country had entered into a recession soon after the release of the Assaf statement.
Assaf called for increased funding for surveillance systems and training as well as support and training for health workers who are at an increased risk of infection with the new coronavirus. Assaf also called for authorities to be proactive to counter rumours and “fake science”.