KZN not out of the woods yet – Health MEC

HEALTH officials are concerned that Covid-19 infections in KwaZulu-Natal have not steadily decreased as the government moves to close the temporary field hospitals.

“Ever since we went past our peak, we went down from 2000 to 300 (average infections a day) and we have now been fluctuating between 300 and 70 and for us that’s a serious worry,” said Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu, Health MEC, speaking at a recent online multi-media programme, LunchtimeChat.Gov,

Simelane-Zulu said they expected to be on single-digit number of infections at this point. “It comes back to the issue of behaviour, had our people been ensuring that they are adhering to the regulations as requested we would be consistent,” she said.

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The MEC said there were worrying visuals of young people in entertainment spaces not wearing masks and not social distancing. She said such settings could potentially lead to superspreader events.

KZN is still the province with the second highest number of infections with a two per cent case fatality. EThekwini remains as the city with the most infections, accounting for 47 per cent of total infections in the province.

In a bid to save money, the Department of Health will be closing and not renewing the contracts of the field hospitals and quarantine facilities across the province except for the additional ones built-in hospitals.

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The department also has intentions of extending the six-month contracts of nurses who were hired in June to assist in dealing with the pandemic.

“We are getting ready for the second wave, we are not saying it is coming but should it come we should be ready and not re-employ,” said Simelane Zulu. “We do need these nurses and we should find a way of extending their contracts until it is clear that the need is not there anymore.”

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