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Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize has announced that South Africa has been officially hit by a ‘second wave’ of coronavirus infections, and that the increase in cases is no longer limited to selected ‘hot spot’ areas.
At a press conference on Wednesday night (December 9), Mkhize said that four provinces are the key drivers of this new wave:
- The Eastern Cape;
- The Western Cape;
- KwaZulu-Natal; Y
- Gauteng.
“Until last week, the increase was mainly in the Eastern Cape and Western Cape in specific districts. But now we have numbers that indicate that we are in a second wave, ”Mkhize said.
“We looked at the number of tests performed, the rate of positivity, the number of positive cases, the number of people entering and the number of deaths.”
The Health Minister added that South Africa has also passed the 6,000 mark in daily infections, with 6,709 cases reported in the country in the last 24 hours.
Mkhize said that the age distribution of infections has also shown a different pattern from the norm. The age group 15-19 years showed the highest number of cases in the last two days.
We are now is a second wave. Four provinces are the key drivers of this new wave. They are EC, WC, KZN and Gauteng. # MediaBriefingCOVID19SA
– Dr. Zweli Mkhize (@DrZweliMkhize) December 9, 2020
Mkhize said that ‘pressure’ due to the increase in coronavirus cases has been building up in several provinces, and after provincial visits this week, his department plans to send reports to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet.
“Now we must understand that we have a responsibility to enjoy the holiday season in moderation,” he said.
In a national address last week, 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.
While Ramaphosa said that these areas could still face localized lockdown restrictions, it is unclear whether the emergence of a second wave of coronavirus will see the introduction of a higher level of lockdown nationwide.
Mkhize said that “clarity on additional restrictions” will be made after meetings with Ramaphosa and the cabinet.
Read: These are the hotspots in South Africa’s three Covid-19 problem areas
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