The storm has finally arrived – Mkhize

HEALTH Minister Zweli Mkhize says the Covid-19 “storm” that South Africans were warned about has finally arrived, bringing with it the reality that some may not even be able to bury their loved ones.

Speaking in the National Assembly, Mkhize said: “The storm that we have consistently warned South Africans about has arrived.”

Mkhize said the pandemic was no longer about announcing confirmed numbers: “We are now at a point where it’s our fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, close friends and comrades who are infected. We are now in this reality where we must live with knowing that some of us cannot even bury our loved ones because of restrictions, or even because we ourselves have been exposed.”

Mkhize also urged his compatriots to change their behaviour and observe all measures announced to contain the spread of the virus.

He said the nation had every reason to be united against Covid-19.

“We dare not be divided. As government, we said, we cannot fight the Covid-19 enemy alone. We need all political parties, social partners and every citizen to come on board,” he added.

“The delay in the spread allowed us to achieve what we could not have achieved as a country had we continued in the normal course.”

Tests showed the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng accounted for 82% of Covid19 cases up to July 6. By Tuesday, there were 10 144 new cases, bringing confirmed cases to 215 855 and 48% of those have recovered, bringing the total to 103 934. Mkhize said there were 3 470 confirmed deaths.