Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital in Soweto has received 20 ventilators, as part of a donation of 1 000 from the US government.

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said the donation is just one step in a plan to treat growing numbers of Covid-19 cases. He said that South Africa is sourcing more diagnostic tests and that extra field beds were being installed across the country.

News24 reports the Health Minister was speaking at a ceremony and demonstration of the ventilators at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital. US Ambassador to South Africa Lana Marks said at the ceremony that South Africa was the first country to receive ventilator donations from the United States Agency for International Development.

Mkhize said a shortage of oxygen was anticipated, and measures are being put in place to prevent this. He emphasized that although lockdown restrictions have been eased, the infection rate was still increasing, “We are still facing the storm.”

The next donation of ventilators will go to the Western Cape, where there are more than 60% of South Africa’s positive coronavirus cases.

Umm Muhammed Umar