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The government would be implementing intervention measures in the Eastern Cape following a spike in Covid19 cases in the province, particularly in Nelson Mandela Bay.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Wednesday night that while numbers were slowing in many areas, there was a resurgence in the Eastern Cape.
He said the number of cases in the province were 50% higher than the week before and this was driven by spikes in coronavirus infections in Nelson Mandela Bay, which has over 5 574 according to the Health Department and Sarah Baartman District Municipality.
“The evidence suggests that the increases in the Eastern Cape could have been triggered by outbreaks in institutions of higher learning such as universities, schools, and attendance by people at large gatherings,” Ramaphosa said.
He said in response to the rising infections, the government would be implementing the resurgence plan that was developed together with the surge team deployed to South Africa by the World Health Organisation.
“Interventions include primary health care outreach teams to intensify contact tracing, daily community mobilisation, ensuring the readiness of health facilities, and being ready to respond to possible clusters outbreaks.”
“We will be working closely with the provincial government, municipalities, and other institutions in the Eastern Cape in the coming days and weeks to ensure that this surge is contained and managed.”
Extending the National State of Disaster to 15 December, President Ramaphosa said that the biggest blow suffered since the start of this pandemic are the confirmed deaths of 20,011 people due to COVID-19.
“While we have a relatively low fatality rate compared to many other countries, we cannot begin to calculate the loss and anguish that these deaths have caused,” he said.
