JOBURG PREPARES FOR INCREASED COVID-19 INFECTIONS

JOHANNESBURG has more than half the Covid-19 cases in Gauteng, and three districts of the city are among the province’s hot spots.

Region F including inner city and Joburg South – which saw the highest increase in the past week – and region E including Alexandra, Wynberg, Sandton each have more than 400 cases, while region D including Soweto/protea Glen and region B including Rosebank and Randburg have above 300.

Ekurhuleni North regions 1 and 2 and Tshwane region 3, which includes Atteridgeville and the CBD, have the highest case loads in those cities at more than 200.

Gauteng had completed 267 178 tests by June 4: one-third of the tests done in South Africa.

Gauteng saw an increase of 1516 cases over the past week, but the mortality rate remains at 1%.

In terms of Covid-19 patients in the province requiring medical care, of 308 in hospital, 228 are in private hospitals and 80 in public facilities. Five are in ICU on ventilators, and 51 in ICU on oxygen. To date, 37 patients in Gauteng have died.

The province has sufficient medical PPE and more than 8 000 beds available, with 1 970 of these being in private and public hospitals in Tshwane.

A further 500 beds at Chris Hani Baragwanath, 300 each at Kopanong and George Mukhari hospital are planned, and the Ashanthi Gold Hospital is being refurbished to provide 175 beds.

The new private Cecilia Makiwane Gallagher Critical Care Hospital with 524 beds is in the pipeline. | Staff Reporter