The numbers don’t lie...

South Africa’s most populous province, Gauteng, is now recording more Covid-19 cases every day than at any point during the Western Cape’s outbreak.

So far, the Western Cape has been the hardest-hit province. As of Friday, the province recorded 57 941 cases – 48% of the Covid-19 cases nationally.

On Friday, Gauteng recorded 2 598 new cases and 2 590 on Thursday – both representing the highest increases in cases in a single day in any province.

In comparison, the Western Cape’s highest rise in cases in a single day was reported on 4 June, with 2 349 cases.

On Friday, the Western Cape reported 1 161 new cases and the Eastern Cape 1 451.

These increases have also pushed the average daily increase in cases on a seven-day rolling average basis in Gauteng to more than 2 000 a day, also the highest increase in cases in any province since the first case was confirmed on 5 March.

As of Friday, Gauteng recorded 31 344 cases, and 15 898 cases were recorded on 18 June – which represents a doubling rate of eight days.

By comparison, cases in the Western Cape took 21 days to double to a reported total of 57 941 cases, and the Eastern Cape 10 days to double to 21 938 cases.

This heralds a significant shift in the behaviour of the Covid-19 outbreak in Gauteng and the Eastern Cape.

Gauteng is, however, expected to record the highest number of cases and deaths nationally, according to projections used by government.

“The current surge of Covid-19 cases we are experiencing in Gauteng is expected,” the Gauteng health department said in its daily statement yesterday.

“Increased movement and mobility of people is one of the contributing factors of the rise in number of confirmed Covid-19 cases. We continue to observe cluster outbreaks from gatherings,” the department said.

“The numbers will increase as we head towards the peak.”

Despite the growth in cases being higher cumulatively and faster daily in Gauteng than in the Eastern Cape, the Eastern Cape recorded 371 deaths compared to 149 deaths in Gauteng, according to figures released on Friday.

It remains unclear how changes in testing strategies are affecting the number of cases found and reported.

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize previously confirmed the entire country would shift testing strategies to focus on people in hotspot areas, patients already admitted to hospitals and healthcare workers.

There has, however, been no communication to the public on when this will happen and what impact changes in the testing strategy will have or are having.

The health department also does not report the numbers of tests conducted by provinces daily. – News24 Wire