Faizel Patel – 08/07/2020
The Health Ministry has warned Gauteng residents to brace for a viral onslaught that could see the province surpassing the Western Cape to becoming South Africa’s new COVID-19 epicenter.
Minister Zweli Mkhize says this could happen as early as this week if the number of daily new infections continues its upward trajectory.
The country has recorded more than 215,800 infections so far and Gauteng is scrambling to find more beds for patients in critical condition.
Last week Gauteng Premier David Makhura and Health MEC Dr. Bandile Masuku said a return to a hard lockdown was not off the table.
Speaking to Radio Islam, Gauteng Health’s Kwarra Kekana says the rapid increase of infections in the province is due to the increase in mobility and movement because of the advance level 3 lockdown.
“Our hospitals as things stand, obviously it was beginning to experience the pressure. What we are trying to do now is also decongest the hospitals by down referring people with similar symptoms, very mild symptoms that can possibly go to some of our quarantine sites so that we don’t put pressure on hospitals, but also pressure on our health workers.”
Kekana says the infection peak rate in Gauteng is expected towards the end of August or the beginning of September.
“I have heard some people saying that the trajectory of the virus is moving a bit faster than what the modelling looked like. The current surge we are experiencing generally speaking is expected. One of the contributing factors is the opening up of the economy.’
Kekana says with the rapid surge of COVID-19 infections in Gauteng and with the province expected to become the epicenter of the pandemic surpassing the Western Cape, the decision of a hard lockdown lies with national government.
Listen to the interview with Kwarra Kekana
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