By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Minister of Health Dr Zweli Mkhize said in a statement that the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases identified in South Africa is 1 592 626.
This is an increase of 2256 new cases identified and the number of tests conducted to date is 10 831 738. Of these 25 934 tests were conducted since the last report.
Mkhize said a further 67 more COVID-19 related deaths have been reported: Eastern Cape 1, Free State 0, Gauteng 13, Kwa-Zulu Natal 5, Limpopo 26, Mpumalanga 2, North West 0, Northern Cape 10 and Western Cape 10, which brings the total to 54 687 deaths.
Minister added that the cumulative recoveries now stand at 1 513 202, representing a recovery rate of 95%.
Vaccination Rollout
The number of Health Care Workers Vaccinated under the Sisonke Protocol to date is 381 171.
Health officials have recorded a worrying increase in Covid-19 cases across much of South Africa, said Mkhize.
He said in a statement on Thursday evening (6 May), that the Free State, Gauteng, Northern Cape and North West are of particular concern. However, he said that every province, with the notable exception of the Eastern Cape, has at least one district of concern.
Mkhize said that a number of districts have been flagged by the national institute for communicable diseases (NICD) as ‘under observation’, due to an appreciable rise in the 14-day average percentage change.
Although some of these districts may have relatively low case incidences, the significant rise in percentage changes should be taken as a serious warning, he said.
In the Eastern Cape, Mkhize said that every district has recorded a zero percentage point change. This does not mean that the province is getting no new infections, however it does mean they have maintained a plateau, which is encouraging, he said.
“The Eastern cape suffered a devastating second wave and was the first province to adopt a differentiated approach where certain metros and districts implemented tighter regulations than others, where it became necessary.
“The Eastern Cape has made great sacrifices to mitigate against the spread of Covid-19 and we must acknowledge this result and encourage the province to keep this up.
“This reinforces the message that we can all play our part to ensure that these rise in infections do not turn into a third wave.”
Mkhize called on South Africans to continue wearing masks, sanitise and avoid crowded gatherings. He said that the government can facilitate and intervene, but ultimately it would rather concentrate on economic recovery rather than imposing further restrictions.
Mkhize said that the government is also monitoring for Covid-19 variants, such as the B.1.617 variant circulating in India.
“Even though the B.1.351 prevalent in our country has more mutations than the B.1.617 prevalent in India, we were still able to control the spread of B.1.351 in South Africa and bring the wave down to a plateau.
“Therefore we have no need to panic about the B.1.617 because, as with any variant of the coronavirus, the treatment is the same and the way we prevent spread is the same,” he said.
Mkhize added that scientists are currently working to examine samples taken from patients that travelled from India.