Data from the South Africa’s Minerals Council reveals 99 mineworkers have died in South Africa following the outbreak of the novel corona virius pandemic.
So far about 9, 412 positive cases alone has been recorded in the country’s mining sector.
The country’s case count of Covid 19 according to the World Health Organization is over 530 ,000 with 377,000 recoveries and 9,298 deaths making it the highest on the African continent.
currently the industry’s testing rate is 8.35%, above the country’s 5.18%. Of the sector’s 440,293 employees, the council said 324,859 had been screened and 36,774 tested.
So far about 5,524 mine workers have recovered from the virus.
Mineral resources and energy minister Gwede Mantashe, who was hospitalised on July 20 with COVID-19, was discharged last week and said to be “on his way to a full recovery.”
South Africa has the fifth-highest number of confirmed cases globally, behind the US, Brazil, India and Russia.
Report says the World Health Organisation is sending a “surge team” of health experts to South Africa as COVID-19 cases rise in the country.
“At this time when the COVID-19 epidemic in South Africa is spreading rapidly, it is important that we work together to intensify our fight against the virus,” WHO Representative for South Africa Dr Owen Kaluwa said .
By Fred Dzakpata
