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Cape Town High Care Wards, ICU’s Filling Up

FILE PHOTO: Beds are seen at a temporary field hospital set up in a sports complex by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Khayelitsha township near Cape Town, South Africa, July 21, 2020. REUTERS/Mike Hutchings/File Photo

High care and intensive care units at Cape Town’s hospitals are filling up fast with COVID-19 patients. 

Most of these admissions are gravely ill people who have not been vaccinated. 

This brings into sharp focus the urgency with which the Western Cape has to accelerate its vaccination programme amid its third wave peak.

While health authorities say they have enough beds, staff and oxygen to meet the demand, they are concerned about the increase in COVID-19 patients.

The mass vaccination centre at Athlone Stadium is due to open on 16 August and designated weekend vaccination sites have opened. 

Pop-up vaccination sites are also up and running to reach more communities.

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