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The sale of alcohol has been limited to four days a week, a 10pm curfew has been introduced, and alcohol consumption has been banned in public places, including beaches, as Nelson Mandela Bay became the South Africa’s first metro to be declared a coronavirus hotspot.
With more than 4,000 active cases of coronavirus infections and a death toll of 1,867 people, the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro has become the first metro in South Africa to be declared an official access point for the coronavirus.
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Thursday night, December 3, that beginning December 4, the sale of alcohol would be banned on Fridays and on weekends; Alcohol consumption would not be allowed on-site in licensed facilities after 10pm and alcohol consumption would not be allowed on beaches and parks.
This comes after city subway police and the Eastern Cape Liquor Board found many non-compliant facilities where large parties, some of about 2,000 people, took to the streets with few patrons wearing masks. . The director of the metro’s disaster management forum, Shane Brown, has expressed great concern about the city’s big beach parties.
Ramaphosa said that meetings, including religious gatherings, cannot be attended by more than 100 people for indoor events and 250 for outdoor events. At any given time, the number of people in a place cannot exceed 50% of the capacity of the place.
Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality said Tuesday that applications for permits for public events will be rejected and that the city’s large public spaces will be closed.
Ramaphosa said post-funeral gatherings have been banned.
“These additional measures are necessary to contain the resurgence in Nelson Mandela Bay, to prevent outbreaks resulting from social gatherings and to protect the ability of the health system to provide care to those in need.
“In determining these restrictions, we have tried to take the steps that are absolutely necessary to save lives while limiting disruptions to the economy,” he said.
The president said that for 100 days since mid-August, the rate of new infections had been stable below 2,000, but this has changed in the past three weeks with a marked increase in new infections and hospital admissions.
“There is now clear evidence of a resurgence of infections in parts of our … country, which, if not dealt with decisively and directly, could lead to great suffering and death,” he said.
According to statistics from the national Department of Health, South Africa registered an average of 1,500 new cases per day in the first week of November. By the last week of November, this had nearly doubled to an average of about 2,900 new cases per day. On Wednesday, December 2, South Africa recorded more than 4,400 new infections, the largest daily increase since mid-August.
“The total number of hospital admissions exceeds 5,800 nationwide and is increasing. Three weeks ago, hospital admissions were 4,900. “
Ramaphosa said Nelson Mandela Bay and Sarah Baartman District in the Eastern Cape and Garden Route District in the Western Cape accounted for the majority of new cases.
“Hospital admissions in these districts are on the rise, in some cases comparable to the first wave of infections. In the Eastern Cape and Western Cape, there has been an increase in both reported Covid-19 deaths and excess deaths. This should be a concern for everyone, ”he said.
Ramaphosa said several hospitals in the Nelson Mandela Bay metro had reported an increase in admissions for alcohol-related trauma. These were diverting the ability of claims units to deal with Covid-related cases.
“But by far the main contributing cause of infections is that many people do not wear masks and do not observe proper hygiene and social distancing.
“As I said during our last family reunion, at Alert Level 1, we have the measures we need to control the virus. But our main problem is that there are parts of the country where people are not complying with current restrictions and basic prevention measures are not being followed, ”Ramaphosa said.
“The most urgent task before us right now is to contain the increase in infections in the affected districts in the Eastern Cape and Western Cape, and to ensure that a similar situation does not develop in other parts of the country.”
The government is implementing a “resurgence plan,” Ramaphosa said, which had been developed with the World Health Organization’s emergency team.
“We are making more capacity available in hospitals and clinics in these areas. We are expanding public health interventions such as testing, contact tracing, isolation, and quarantine. We are also stepping up our awareness campaigns on public health regulations.
“We must change our behavior now to prevent a resurgence of the virus and manage outbreaks wherever they occur … At the same time, we must do everything we can to keep the economy open and forge ahead with our rebuilding and recovery effort,” he said President.
Explaining the national command council’s reasoning, Ramaphosa said that when identifying an access point, the number of new Covid-19 cases per day, the rate of testing within the population, the percentage positivity rate were taken into account. within the population, the number of active cases, the number of hospital admissions and the number of deaths.
He said that after extensive consultation with traditional leaders, the government had agreed that the summer initiation season in the Eastern Cape could continue everywhere but Nelson Mandela Bay.
“This is because the traditional leaders of the Eastern Cape have come up with a risk-adjusted plan that has been approved by the departments of Health, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs. However, due to the high infection rates in the metro, no initiation schools will be allowed in Nelson Mandela Bay, ”said Ramaphosa.
Acting Subway Executive Mayor Thsonono Buyeye, however, said Wednesday that there were more than 7,000 children on the subway waiting to “go to the bush” and feared that if the induction season at Nelson Mandela Bay was canceled, they would go to other places in the province and thus spread the virus.
Ramaphosa said the measures in Nelson Mandela Bay were not intended to punish residents.
“They are not intended to increase the difficulties experienced by our citizens. These measures are necessary to contain the spread of the virus and save lives, “he said.
Ramaphosa said Health Minister Dr. Zweli Mkhize would visit Sarah Baartman’s district (this includes much of the Karoo, but also the Kareedouw area and popular holiday destinations like Jeffreys Bay and St Francis Bay) and Garden Route to assess the situation and liaise with stakeholders in the province.
“Based on this assessment and the development of the disease in these areas, the National Coronavirus Command Council will determine the appropriate course of action,” Ramaphosa said.
The national state of disaster has been extended until January 15, 2021, he added.
“We have instructed law enforcement officials to ensure compliance with the law, by owners, controllers and managers of workplaces, shops, institutions and buildings to ensure social distancing and the use of masks. Taxi drivers must also ensure that all their passengers wear masks. Furthermore, each of us will have to abide by the curfew times, ”Ramaphosa said.
The president provided an update on the search for a vaccine and said the country continues “to collaborate with our partners in the international community to ensure that all countries have access to an effective and affordable vaccine.”
“We are participating in the World Health Organization’s Global Covid-19 Vaccine Access Center, known as the Covax Center, which aims to pool resources and share the risk of vaccine development and thus ensure equitable access to vaccines. when available. We are encouraged that the Solidarity Fund will make the initial contribution of R327 million for the acquisition of this vaccine on behalf of our country ”, he said.
“If there is one thing this pandemic has taught us, it is the danger of becoming complacent,” concluded Ramaphosa.
“If ever there was a moment of caution, it is now… Unless we take personal responsibility for our health and the health of others, more people are going to get infected. More people will die … Tonight we stand in solidarity with the people of the Nelson Mandela Bay subway as they work to contain this outbreak. I have the utmost confidence that the Eastern Cape leadership is doing and will do whatever it takes to reduce the infection rate once again, ”he said. DM / MC
