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Fear as pandemic grips city GPs receive more calls from worried residents POST REPORTERS AS THE world this week marks six months since the first cases of Covid-19 were reported in Wuhan, China, family practitioners in eThekwini warn that the virus is spreading through the city. The community-based doctors confirmed that an increasing number of patients were showing symptoms and testing positive. With the rate of infections expected to peak in the coming weeks, they have urged residents to wear masks, ensure social distancing and sanitise. In particular, they want people to stop attending gatherings of any kind. Globally, more than 10 million people have been infected and over half a million have died. In South Africa, the Western Cape has the most infections although numbers are rising fast in…
At 101, Rukmin celebrates life… and veggies CHANELLE LUTCHMAN Supplied AT 101, RUKMIN Singh enjoys walking around her house, sitting in the sun and talking to her daughter, Romila. The Northdale, Pietermaritzburg, resident celebrated her birthday on Saturday with Romila and her family. Because of the lockdown, her three other children and their families could not attend the party. Romila said that although her mother was saddened she could not spend the day with everyone, she understood the reason behind it. Singh, a first-generation South African, has 27 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren, Her father, Suraj, an indentured labourer, arrived at the Port of Natal from India on March 27, 1902. He met her mother, Sujee, after his arrival and they got married. They had five children. Singh was…
Ratepayers commended for paying municipal bills CHANELLE LUTCHMAN KRISH Kumar, the deputy city manager, finance cluster, has commended eThekweni residents for keeping their commitment and paying their rates. During a monthly meeting to discuss the city’s Covid-19 financial health, it was revealed that the May collection rate improved to 85%. Kumar told the POST this week that the city was happy to see that residents were still paying their bills even in the challenging times of Covid-19. “In March we received 95% of the rates, but it dropped to 56% in April because under level 5 of the lockdown people were not allowed to leave their homes, so people couldn’t go out and pay their bills. “But our collection picked up in May to 85%. Today alone I was told…
Joint effort for SA’s vaccine trial JANINE MOODLEY Wits University PROFESSOR Shabir Ahmed Madhi, a vaccinology scientist at Wits University, is leading the first Covid-19 vaccine trial in South Africa. The Ox1Cov-19 Vaccine VIDA-Trial started last Wednesday by the university, in partnership with Oxford University and the Oxford Vaccine Group. The trial is being performed at several sites in South Africa and was approved by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority and the Wits Human Research Ethics Committee. The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries approved the import of the vaccine. A total of 2 000 volunteers will be used to test the vaccine, which aims to prevent the Sars-CoV-2 infection, the virus that causes Covid-19. Screening began two weeks ago and the first set of participants were vaccinated…
Let’s rise together in spirit of ubuntu: finalist Miss SA hopeful on trying again, current events THANDEKA MGQIBI Facebook and Supplied MEDICAL doctor Karishma Ramdev was selected as a Top 15 finalist in Miss South Africa 2020 – her second attempt at the crown. Ramdev, 25, who was raised in Chatsworth, Durban, lives in Joburg. She works at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital. She shared her views on current local and global issues with the POST. Q: In 2018, you made the Miss SA Top 5. Why have you decided to try again? A: My father always told me as a child “it is better to try and fail than fail to try”, and I have lived by those words for most of my life. It has always been…
GET PRESENT TO KNOW , HOPES RAMDEV AND : DREAMS HER PAST, THANDEKA MGQIBI KARISHMA Ramdev was born and raised in Chatsworth. Her dad, Karun, is an optometrist and her mother, Komla, a radiographer. She has two brothers – Aveshan, 29, who was born with trisomy 18q+ (a rare chromosomal disorder associated with abnormalities in parts of the body), and Sashin, 22, who is studying veterinary science. Ramdev, 25, obtained her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degrees (MBChB) from the University of Pretoria last year. She is completing her internship at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital. Due to her busy work schedule, Ramdev said she usually got home exhausted. In her spare time, she enjoys relaxing on her couch, watching Netflix. “I also enjoy keeping healthy with some…
