By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is continuing his recovery from mild symptoms of COVID-19 after testing positive for the virus on Sunday.
In a statement on Friday, The Presidency said Ramaphosa is “comfortable and in good spirits” and called on South Africans to vaccinate and continue taking non-pharmaceutical measures to prevent the spread of the virus.
“The President again calls on all people in the country to make this festive period a safe period by being vaccinated, wearing masks, washing or sanitising hands frequently, maintaining a social distance and avoiding gatherings. This will help save lives, reduce the need for hospital admissions, allow businesses to remain open and enable people to work and earn an income.
“Risky or careless behaviour will endanger public health and economic activity, neither of which the country can afford during this important period for the retail and tourism sectors,” The Presidency said.
The President tested positive for the virus after addressing the State Memorial Service of Former Deputy President FW de Klerk in Cape Town.
Meanwhile Health Minister, Dr Joe Phaahla, says COVID-19 infections during the fourth wave have exceeded the previous peaks reached in the previous resurgences.
According to the Minister, the fourth wave, driven by the Omicron variant, has continued to spread rapidly across South Africa and has already been detected in at least 76 countries globally.
“In our country, all nine provinces are essentially in the fourth wave, although the Northern Cape is technically just about to enter fully.”
Phaahla said the number of cases in the fourth wave has exceeded the peaks of the three waves, with a weekly average of new infections of more than 37 per 100 000 of the population.
This is compared to the peak of the third wave, which was about 33 per 100 000; the second wave 32 per 100 000 and the first wave 21 per 100 000.