SOUTH AFRICA - HERE'S WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE 13 WHO HAVE DIED FROM COVID-19 IN SA

South Africa has recorded 13 deaths from Covid-19 since the start of the novel coronavirus outbreak. While we know the numbers, there is not much available on the people who have died.

Here's what we know so far:

1- A 48-year-old woman from Cape Town was the country's first confirmed Covid-19 death. The woman, who has since been identified as Madeleine van Wyk, was reportedly an insurance industry employee with no recent overseas travel history.

2 - The second person in SA to die from Covid-19 was from Bloemfontein in the Free State. The 85-year-old had attended a religious conference hosted by the Divine Restoration Church Ministries. A number of other people who attended the conference, including ACDP leader Rev Kenneth Moshoe, subsequently tested positive for the virus.

3 - A 79-year-old  man from Mogale City on the West Rand was Gauteng's first Covid-19 fatality and died after being admitted to hospital suffering respiratory distress.

4 - A 74-year-old Ladysmith man who had had travelled to the Kruger National Park with his family and began displaying flu-like symptoms upon his return was the first KZN Covid-19 fatality. He tested positive on March 27 and died after experiencing respiratory complications.

5 - Another KZN death, that of a 46-year-old female teacher with chronic asthma and hypertension, was recorded at the same time.

6 - A man from Bloemfontein in the Free State, who was employed as a driver at a guesthouse where international guests attending the Divine Restoration Church Ministries conference stayed, was the 6th confirmed fatality.

7 - An 81-year-old resident at the Bill Buchanan Association for the Aged in Durban was the seventh recorded fatality. The woman died after being diagnosed with pneumonia and admitted to Netcare St Augustine's Hospital.

8 - Gita Ramjee, who served as the Director of the HIV Prevention Unit of the South African Medical Research Council (MRC), passed away in hospital due to health complications related to the Covid-19 virus. She recently returned to KZN after travelling in the United Kingdom.

9 - The ninth person was 80-year-old Moulana Yusuf Tootla from KZN who passed away after contracting the coronavirus while on a trip to Delhi in India.

10 - A  82-year-old woman who died at the weekend was the Western Cape's  second Covid-19-related death.

11 - The death of an 86-year-old male from KZN who was admitted to hospital  with a diagnosis of bronchopneumonia and respiratory distress was confirmed by the health ministry on Monday. He had an underlying condition of chronic obstructive airway disease (COAD).

12 - A 63-year-old KZN woman also died after showing symptoms of respiratory distress.

13 - On Tuesday, a 57-year-old man became the third Western Cape Covid-19 related death. He was also the country's 13th death.

The country's first confirmed coronavirus infection was reported just over a month ago on March 5. Since then President Cyril Ramaphosa declared the coronavirus a state of disaster and government imposed a national lockdown in an attempt to curb the spread of the virus.

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has repeatedly cautioned that the reported infection figures, which currently stand at 1 749, are not an accurate indication of the virus's behaviour and has indicated that the confirmed infections could rise dramatically as testing is ramped up over the coming days.

via - IOL