Concern as infections soar in Gauteng
GAUTENG Premier David Makhura is concerned about the rising number of Covid-19 infections in the province with the City of Johannesburg continuing to be the metro with the highest number of cases.
His administration, he said, would be making a decision in the next few days over whether it would support a motion to reinstate the alcohol ban.
Makhura, in his update on the provincial state of Covid-19, cautioned that the pandemic was gaining momentum in the province and needed to be taken seriously.
The City of Joburg had 2 399 active cases of a total of 3 546, including 438 new cases in the last seven days.
The inner-city area, region F, recorded 263 of these cases.
Ekurhuleni has 989 active cases of a total of 1 384 while Tshwane has 614 confirmed cases of a total of 960, followed by the West Rand.
In Tshwane, there have been more than 100 reported cases in the last seven days, with the hot spot areas including region 3, which incorporates Atteridgeville, Pretoria CBD, Hercules Laudium, Lotus Gardens, Danville, Saulsville and Pretoria West.
All in all, Makhura said the number of active cases in the province was in the region of 5 000, but the good news was that more tests were being done and there was a high recovery rate.
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Tshwane was in the lead in terms of mass screening, with 2.4 million people having undergone the process out of 7.4 million screenings across the province.
Makhura warned that July would be a critical month in Gauteng based on the modelling forecasting the impact of the virus.
“We should be able to have additional beds as we move to Augustseptember, which is anticipated as the peak of infections,” he said.
Hospitalisation has increased and currently 493 Covid-19 patients are admitted in both private and public health facilities in the province.
Of these, 357 are in private hospitals and 136 in public hospitals, with 22 on ventilators.
Since the first patient was admitted to hospital, there have been 57 deaths – 20 in the past week – and 476 have recovered and been discharged.
Makhura reported that 335 of 172113 Gauteng government employees had tested positive since March. Those infected included health workers and teachers. Makhura said 56 cases had been confirmed at 54 schools in Gauteng.
“Covid-19 is not a rumour; it is real,” he said.