This archive report was first published on 5 August 2020.
On August 5, 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) deployed a team of 43 health experts to South Africa to support the country's efforts in containing the COVID-19 pandemic.
South Africa has been severely affected by the pandemic, with 521,318 confirmed cases and 8,884 deaths, according to the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention (AfricaCDC). Studies suggest that the actual toll could be higher due to excess mortality rates.
The WHO team, led by Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, Regional Director for Africa, and Dr. Michael Ryan, Executive Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, will work virtually from Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo, and Geneva, Switzerland, respectively, to support the experts on the ground.
Dr. Owen Kaluwa, WHO Representative for South Africa, stated, 'At this time when the COVID-19 epidemic in South Africa is spreading rapidly, it is essential that we work together to intensify our fight against the virus.'
The team includes Dr. David Heymann, a seasoned infectious disease epidemiologist and public health expert, who headed the response to the SARS epidemic in 2003. The rapid spread of infections in poor, overcrowded urban centers in Cape Town, Johannesburg, and other cities threatens to overwhelm public hospitals.
South Africa's healthcare system is currently under strain, with over 24,000 healthcare workers infected by the coronavirus, resulting in 181 deaths. The country's advanced healthcare system is a concern, as other countries may not cope as well with the pandemic.
