25 people who went to illegal wedding infected with virus

Twenty-five people have tested positive for Covid-19 in KwaZulu-Natal after attending a wedding in contravention of lockdown laws.

KwaZulu-Natal residents have since been urged to adhere to the lockdown regulations after the event, which took place last week.

Premier Sihle Zikalala made the plea yesterday as he gave an update on the pandemic in the province.

He noted with concern the number of infections that had been recorded “as a result of social gatherings”.

Important precautionary measures, including social distancing and wearing of masks, were disregarded, he said.

“In the past week we have been made aware that a sizeable group was reported to have attended a wedding last weekend.

“In the end, a number of people from the wedding fell sick, and 25 from the group who attended tested positive.

“Today, some of them are occupying Covid-19 beds in the health care facilities.

“We want to plead with all of our fellow citizens to know that Covid-19 spreads faster with gatherings.

“No-one is immune or can be a ‘starring’ or the invincible main actor on Covid-19 as there is no cure. We plead with everyone to adhere to the regulations. If we stay safe today, we can be safe and together tomorrow,” he said.

KwaZulu-Natal had recorded 23,751 infections, 280 deaths and 6,021 recoveries by Saturday.

Zikalala said the number of Covid-19 cases being recorded was alarming as the province had averaged 1,000 new cases in recent weeks.

Zikalala said that among the 11 districts in the province, eThekwini had recorded the majority of the cases (53%), followed by its neighbouring district, uMgungundlovu.

He said the King Cetshwayo district had been recording an average of 66 cases a day.

While the country headed towards the Covid-19 peak, Zikalala warned everybody had a collective responsibility in the fight against the pandemic.

“This is no time to lose the war. This is no time to feel demoralised.

“We need to wage a relentless fight against this invisible enemy.

“And waging this fight requires everyone to do what they’re supposed to: to play their part to stop current generations from being remembered as generations that were wiped out, or generations who failed to stop the tidal wave of this invisible enemy,” he said.