Coronavirus in SA: Doctors are 'terrified'
Some doctors in the country say although trying to remain positive, they are 'terrified' about what is coming and fear for their safety as the number of coronavirus cases spike in a system, they say is already struggling.
They are making this appeal to the public.
"Stay at home. If you do not need to go out, please don't do it, you will get coronavirus, and if you get it, you are at risk of dying."
On Friday, the Health Department confirmed that two women who were 28 and 48-years-old died of the disease in the Western Cape.
South Africa has over 1 000 confirmed infections.
A 21-day lockdown aimed at slowing the rate of infections came into effect at midnight.
A medical professional in Pietermaritzburg says she and fellow doctors are trying to support each other - but were disheartened to see members of the public going about their business as usual.
"There's this kind of atmosphere of like impending doom. We don't know what to expect, and we don't know where this is going. For the most part, we feel frustrated because it seems like the community does not want to support us."
"I think it's just this complete anxiety and fear of the unknown. How bad will it get over here, how will we actually cope with numbers."
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A Western Cape doctor says they are worried about how the hospitals will cope if the virus keeps spreading.
"We are petrified; we are terrified. The number of cases that are not only COVID-19. The number of cases we are seeing because of the mass panic in our country at the moment is alarming, and we are not coping. While we are try to do our best, we are tired, and it puts everybody at risk."
