Adjusted lockdown regulations have been credited for the reduction in trauma admissions at public health facilities.
There were less road crashes compared to last year, with the Free State reporting more Covid-19-related admissions than injuries at hospital wards.
Health workers at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital said the empty trauma unit freed them up to attend to Covid-19 patients.
Health officials have
credited the strict curfew and alcohol sales ban for the significant reduction
in trauma patients during the New Year festive period.
Free State Health MEC
Montseng Tsiu said there were no deaths from road crashes in the new year
Health workers delivered hundreds of newborn babies on New Year s Day.
Most were born in Gauteng. KwaZulu-Natal had the second-highest number of deliveries.
The usual celebrations for mothers and their newborns were cancelled at Free State hospitals due to Level 3 lockdown regul
ations.
After what has been a tumultuous 12 months for South Africans, hundreds of healthy and happy babies ushered in the new year.
Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal delivered the most New Year s babies. Gauteng welcomed 225 bundles of joy compared to KZN s 140.
Most of the babies who were born in Gauteng - 161, to be precise - were born at district hospitals and clinics. Academic and other large hospitals delivered 64 newborns.