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The national government is considering additional restrictions for several Covid-19 hotspot areas in South Africa as a means of curbing the impact of a second wave of coronavirus.
Health Minister Dr. Zweli Mkhize has already begun meeting with health and government officials in the areas this week after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the introduction of localized closures in hotspot areas..
As of December 8, 2020, 4,011 new cases of Covid-19 had been registered in South Africa, bringing the total reported to 821,889. Deaths have reached 22,432 (a daily increase of 226), while recoveries have risen to 753,072, leaving the country with a balance of 46,385 active cases.
Nationally, the Western Cape still represents the most active cases, with 16,089 current infections, followed by KwaZulu-Natal (9,788) and the Eastern Cape (7,983).
During his national address, Ramaphosa identified three areas in South Africa that were of particular concern due to a sharp increase in the number of new infections:
- Nelson Mandela Bay (CE);
- The Route of the Gardens (WC); Y
- Sarah Baartman District (CE).
Of the three areas mentioned, only one was officially declared a hotspot region, and further restrictions were put in place to slow the spread of the virus.
However, each region has its own caveats to identify problem areas on a more granular level.
Nelson Mandela Bay
According to the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro’s daily monitoring of hotspot areas, Uitenhage remains the hardest hit area in the district, with several other hotspots identified in and around Port Elizabeth.
This includes Despatch, Arcadia, Booysen Park, Walmer, Algoa Park, and New Brighton.
west cape
The Garden Route District has been identified as one of the sources of the significant increase in cases in the province, which includes sub-districts such as Bitou, George, Knysna, Mossel Bay and Oudtshoorn.
The province has specifically highlighted the following regions for experiencing an alarming increase in active cases over the past week:
- Theronville: + 118%
- Protea Park: + 100%
- Ladismite: + 54%
- George: + 46%
- Heidelberg: + 40%
- Albertinia: + 27%
- Oudtshoorn: + 26%
- Pascaltsdorp: + 24%
- Knysna: + 22%
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Weekly increase in coronavirus infections;
Oudtshoorn 26% ⬆️, Pacaltsdorp 24% ⬆️, George 46% ⬆️, Theronville 118% ⬆️.Share the information with the people you know in the areas and stay safe. 😷 pic.twitter.com/T5gdaSb5TP
– Governor of the Western Cape (@WesternCapeGov) December 9, 2020
Sarah baartman
Sarah Baartman District last updated its figures on December 7, which reflects statistics as of December 3, 2020.
He identified the concentration of active cases in the region in the local municipalities of Kouga and Makana, with a variety of areas considered “hotspots” of infection.
Restrictions
The restrictions currently in place in Nelson Mandela Bay have been published to apply to all regions declared critical zones by the national government.
In addition to the current level 1 blocking restrictions, the following restrictions will be introduced:
- The curfew hours will be from 10:00 p.m. to 04:00 a.m. except for essential workers and emergencies;
- The sale of alcohol will only be allowed between 10:00 am and 6:00 pm, Monday through Thursday at the points of sale;
- The consumption of alcohol will be prohibited in public places like beaches and parks;
- All meetings, including religious gatherings, cannot be attended by more than 100 people for indoor events and 250 people for outdoor events;
- At all times, the total number of people cannot exceed 50% of the capacity of the place;
- All post-funeral gatherings are now prohibited.
The Western Cape government is pushing hard for regions of the province not to be declared hotspots and has come up with its own guidelines on how to curb infections in the region.
However, he cautioned that he is not out of the woods with regard to such a statement, and that it is ultimately up to the national government to determine whether to impose restrictions on hotspots.
Dr Mkhize, who has already visited the Garden Route, said that some restrictions are being considered for the district outside of it to be declared an access point. This includes limitations on:
- Public hallways;
- Swimming pools;
- Great activities in parks;
- Encounters on beaches.
The government has also been in talks with various stakeholders about measures that can be put in place to prevent other regions of South Africa from experiencing an increase in infections, particularly during the holiday season.
It has been in talks with the restaurant industry about how best to handle alcohol sales and alcohol consumption at the venue during December, while the KZN provincial government said beach closures are a broad consideration, but emphasized that there is no formal decision on the matter has been made.
Mkhize called on all South Africans to act responsibly during the holiday season to reduce the risk of infection.
Read: KwaZulu-Natal government says no formal decision was made on beach closures during December
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