HIV not bigger Covid-19 risk than diabetes and hypertension, says WC govt
Western Cape head of Health Dr Keith Cloete says there is no evidence to suggests that HIV poses a bigger risk than hypertension and diabetes when it comes to Covid-19.
Cloete made the comments on Friday afternoon, during a visit by President Cyril Ramaphosa and Minister of Health Zweli Mkhize.
The president and the minister were in the Western Cape to assess the province’s Covid-19 response.
“HIV is the red bar and evidence is not that strong that it poses a bigger risk as diabetes and hypertension,” said Cloete.
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“We have a special group of epidemiologist examining the specific risk in terms of HIV which we will publish once they are done with that.”
The Western Cape, which is the country’s Covid-19 hot spot, accounts for 66.2% of the confirmed cases.
Diabetes and hypertension have been cited as the biggest contributors to Covid-related deaths.
“Between hypertension and diabetes it is the two single biggest associated factors with severe illness and with death,” added Cloete.
To date the Western Cape accounts for 651 out of 848 recorded Covid-related deaths.