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By staff reporter 
9h ago
Cape Town – The number of cases of coronavirus (Covid-19) in South Africa increased to 2028 Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said on Saturday.
This is an increase of 25 new cases from Friday’s number.. South Africa has also reported another Covid-19-related fatality, bringing the death toll to 25.
The last case is a 61-year-old man from the Western Cape. According to Mkhize, he had underlying medical conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity.
The total number of Covid-19 tests conducted across the country to date stands at 75,053, Mkhize said.
Across the African continent there are 12,700 infections, with 2,050 recoveries and 666 associated deaths, the Africa Region of the World Health Organization reported Saturday.
On Saturday, experts shared their concern over sleeping Covid-19 infections that could be devastating to the country.
Professor Alex van den Heever, who holds the Chair of Administration Studies and Administration of Social Security Systems at Wits University, says that “we are blind in one eye when looking at the epidemic.”
The reason is that no one knows if the virus has unknowingly settled in communities that have not been tested.
“It is quite a complex picture,” explains Van den Heever. “One of the problems is that the testing regimen has been incredibly tight. And it was indeed designed only to detect people who were linked to the imported infection.
“So the numbers we are seeing right now are essentially tied to the old testing regime. We have been testing the wealthy population, and we may have an outbreak that we don’t know about.”
The government is trying to increase and expand its testing regime. But the extension to the blockade is clearly an indication that they are not ready for an expanded program of testing and contact tracing, adds Van der Heever. “However, that leaves us exposed to the risk of areas that are not socially distant under closure.”
Health Minister Zweli Mkhize previously warned that the storm is not yet over, as there could be another increase, especially if South Africans are not cooperating with the closing conditions.
An increase in infections can also occur in the winter season.
MESS
* For the latest on the Covid-19 outbreak, visit IOL’s special #Coronavirus page.
** If you think you have been exposed to the Covid-19 virus, call the 24-hour hotline at 0800 029 999 or visit sacoronavirus.co.za
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