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epa08758522 YEARENDER 2020 .COVID-19 PANDEMIC..Veterinarian Dr Brian Bergman (L) receives a puppy suffering from the deadly Parvovirus from a resident outside the Mdzananda Animal Clinic in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, South Africa, 30 April 2020. The Mdzananda Animal Clinic is currently working under extremely difficult conditions during the Covid-19 pandemic. The clinic provides veterinary care to community pets continuing to operate with staff adhering to all the Covid-19 protocols. The staff are organised into a two team system working two weeks on two weeks off as a way to manage the concern of closure should a staff member contract the virus. In addition the clinic is also dealing with a Parvovirus outbreak within the community which has a low recovery rate. Animal abuse and neglect are also factors involved in many of the clinics patients with some of the poorest communities in Khayelitsha being home to the most vulnerable animals in the greater Cape Flats area. One positive observation noticed is the number of stray dogs at the clinic has reduced during the lockdown. This they attribute to pets being considered more valuable for mental health in the impoverished communities now during the pandemic. South Africa is on a total lockdown to try stem the spread of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 which causes the Covid-19 disease. EPA/NIC BOTHMA *** Local Caption *** 56056136