The world has joined hands in the fight against coronavirus (COVID-19) in what’s turned out to be a remarkable — possibly historic — response to a global pandemic.
Coronavirus: What are the latest updates on Tuesday 17 March?
Sovereign nations from all walks of life have banded together under the tutelage of the World Health Organisation (WHO) to combat an unseen enemy.
According to WHO’s Situation Report for Monday 16 March, coronavirus has recorded 167 515 confirmed infections and 6 606 deaths in 150 countries.
The numbers, from a global perspective, are startling and they seem to be growing exponentially.
Italy is getting it the worst at the moment, with hundreds of deaths reported daily.
No new cases reported in South Africa
In a country with one of the best healthcare systems in Europe, one shudders to think what the impact would be if coronavirus spread rapidly in Africa.
In South Africa, 62 confirmed infections have been recorded since the first case was reported on Thursday 5 March. While there have been no deaths related to coronavirus, the government has taken no chances.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, on Sunday, announced a number of bans, restrictions and interventions in a bid to combat the spread of coronavirus in a vulnerable South Africa.
The Health Department has been working overtime, together with other key stakeholders in the sector, and other parts of government, to raise awareness on preventative measures to stop the spread of person-to-person transmission of the virus.
Watch: This is why washing hands for 20 seconds is very important
One of the key things people have been urged to do is wash their hands regularly.
However, a part of this message that has been understated is the importance of washing hands thoroughly, for at least 20 seconds.
Our water reserves are vulnerable but coronavirus can be deadly and much like many germs, it can be hard to wash off your hands.
That’s what Spectrum Health has tried to illustrate in this awareness video.
UV light is used to show what germs and bacteria looks like on our hands, and how much is left after a quick dab of soap of a whizz under the tap.
We encourage you to watch this video and learn how to wash your hands properly.
There is no need to keep the tap running for 20 seconds or more.
The most important thing is to keep rubbing the soap around your hands to ensure that the bacteria rubs off thoroughly.