Postoperative residual curarisation (PORC) is a potentially life-threatening complication of non-depolarising muscle relaxant use in anaesthesia. Quantitative neuromuscular monitoring has the potential to reduce the risk of PORC, but many anaesthetists rely on clinical assessment of neuromuscular function alone. To investigate the occurrence of PORC in the recovery room at an academic hospital in Gauteng, South Africa. Additionally, this prospective, cross-sectional study aimed to determine the extent of intraoperative neuromuscular monitoring and to assess clinical factors that may influence the risk of PORC. Patient characteristics and clinical information, including whether neuromuscular monitoring had been conducted, were recorded. Patients were evaluated by clinical assessment and determination of a quantitative train-of-four ratio (TOFR). PORC assessment methods were compared and clinical characteristics were analysed for association with TOFR status. The incidence of PORC (TOFR &lt;0.9) in serious yet preventable condition. Vitamin D deficiency is common in intensive care unit (ICU) patients (50 - 82%) and is associated with multi-organ dysfunction. Vitamin D deficiency alters pathways of glutamine metabolism in critical illness, but the impact of vitamin D status on glutamine levels is poorly characterised. To assess the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and its association with organ dysfunction and glutamine levels in a South African (SA) ICU. Records of 103 adult patients admitted to the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre ICU, Johannesburg, SA were retrospectively reviewed. 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and glutamine levels were measured on admission. The association between admission vitamin D levels and glutamine levels, illness severity scores, organ support and outcomes was examined. On ICU admission, 66% (68/103) of patients were vitamin D deficient (&lt;20 ng/mL) (95% confidence interval (CI) 56 - 75). Vitamin D deficiency was significantly associated with mechanical ventilation (40% v. 14%) (p=0.013) and a higher median sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score on admission (6 (interquartile range (IQR) 3 - 8) v. 4 (IQR 2 - 6)) (p=0.047) and on day 7 (5 (IQR 2 - 10) v. 2 (IQR 1 - 4)) (p=0.017). Median admission serum glutamine levels were 481 μmol/L, with 38% deficient (&lt;420 μmol/L) (95% CI 28 - 48). Vitamin D deficiency status on admission was not significantly associated with median admission glutamine levels (p=0.66). Vitamin D deficiency is common in ICU patients in SA. Deficient patients were more severely ill and required more respiratory support. No significant relationship between deficiency and median glutamine levels was noted. Vitamin D deficiency is common in ICU patients in SA. Deficient patients were more severely ill and required more respiratory support. No significant relationship between deficiency and median glutamine levels was noted. The positive impact of physical activity and exercise on health is well known. Individuals who walk at least 10000 steps per day are likely to meet recommended physical activity guidelines. Very little is known about the physical activity levels of doctors at work, in particular those working in emergency departments (EDs). To determine how many steps per shift were taken by doctors in a South African (SA) ED. Secondary objectives were to assess what factors influenced the number of steps taken. This was a prospective observational cohort study in a tertiary academic teaching hospital ED in Johannesburg over a 1-month period. Doctors wore pedometers during their day shifts in the ED and the number of steps taken during their shifts was measured, as well as the number and triage category of patients seen and whether cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was performed. The median (interquartile range) number of steps taken per shift was 6328 (4646 - 8 409). The number of steps taken exceeded the 10000-stenout in an already high-risk specialty heightens the importance of exercise and physical activity that needs to be achieved outside the workplace. On 26 March 2020, the South African (SA) government initiated a 21-day national level 5 lockdown which was subsequently eased off and downgraded to level 4 on 1 May and to level 3 on 1 June. The effect of lockdown measures on SARS-CoV-2 infectivity is currently uncertain. In this article, we analyse the effects of the lockdown measures on the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in one of the epicentres in SA. To measure the effects of lockdown measures introduced in SA on SARS-CoV-2 attack rates (ARs, the percentage of individuals who tested positive in a specified time period) in Gauteng Province during a 4-month period (March - June 2020). In this retrospective cohort study, we used a comprehensive database from an independent pathology laboratory in Gauteng. We analysed trends of positivity rates of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction tests done during the 4-month period. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/5-chloro-2-deoxyuridine.html The ARs are reported over time (unweighted and age-weighted 14-day moving averages) by age groups, gender, and different regions/distryears (15.9%), which was not reported in other parts of the world. Population age dynamics should therefore be considered when taking future decisions about lockdown regulations. The findings of this study testify to the rapid increase in ARs resulting from easing of the lockdown regulations, especially to level 3 in June. Of concern is the upward trend in the AR across all age groups, especially <20 years (15.9%), which was not reported in other parts of the world. Population age dynamics should therefore be considered when taking future decisions about lockdown regulations. The global COVID-19 pandemic caused many countries to institute nationwide lockdowns to limit the spread of the disease. To describe the effect of the national COVID-19 lockdown in South Africa (SA) on the workload and case mix of patients presenting to a district-level emergency centre. The electronic patient tracking and registration database at Mitchells Plain Hospital, a district-level hospital in Cape Town, was retrospectively analysed. The 5-week lockdown period (27 March - 30 April 2020) was compared with a similar period immediately before the lockdown (21 February - 26 March). A comparison was also made with corresponding time periods during 2018 and 2019. Patient demographics, characteristics, diagnoses and disposition, as well as process times, were compared. A total of 26 164 emergency centre visits were analysed (8 297 in 2020, 9 726 in 2019, 8 141 in 2018). There was a reduction of 15% in overall emergency centre visits from 2019 to 2020 (non-trauma 14%, trauma 20%). A 35% decrease was seen between the 2020 lockdown period and the 5-week period before lockdown (non-trauma 33%, trauma 43%), and the reduced number of visits stayed similar throughout the lockdown period.