Coronavirus update: How many people have fully recovered in SA?

The fight against coronavirus continues in earnest across South Africa. Lockdown may be an extreme measure, but just take a moment to weigh-up the situation – this is very much an extreme time we’re living through. It’s not always easy to stay upbeat, but we assure you, there is light at the end of this tunnel – starting with the patients who have already made full recoveries.

Latest coronavirus death toll in South Africa

Tragically, five people have already lost their lives to coronavirus in South Africa. We accept that the total will rise, along with the amount of patients who have tested positive for the disease. We’re expecting another increase on Wednesday afternoon, taking us up from the 1 353 figure announced yesterday.

With positive cases traced to locations like Alexandra and Khayelitsha – vast, sprawling townships that struggle to implement social distancing measures – it’s likely things have to get worse before they get better. This is the reality we’re faced with now. And yet… hope continues to spring eternal.

How many people have recovered from coronavirus in South Africa

According to various sources – Track Corona, SACoronavirus and the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) – our recovery total stands at 31. It may seem like a small number, but South Africa only registered its first COVID-19 case four weeks ago – and our official “patient zero” has already defeated the disease.

The first known recovery was documented on Saturday 21 March. Last Friday, we had 19 people who were given a clean bill of health after contracting coronavirus – they had all been declared recovered on the same day. This metric is highly likely to improve in the near future, too.

Data from the John Hopkins Research Centre suggests that there will be “at least 50 recoveries” in South Africa by the end of Wednesday. Western Cape Premier Alan Winde has stated that another 50 patients in the province have “beaten” the disease, but must remain in a 21-day quarantine as per government guidelines – they haven’t officially been added to the data maps yet.

Optimism and reality

We’re not going to sugarcoat it, there will be plenty of stressful headlines over the next few weeks. The numbers will rise, as they have done in many other countries, and there will be some painful developments. But, in the middle of this relentless onslaught, it’s important to take stock of the positives: And the fact that dozens of South Africans have already recovered from this illness is something we use as a beacon of hope.

• All information correct at 15:00 on Wednesday 1 April