KZN ramps up testing as eThekwini emerges as virus hotspot
eThekwini has been identified as coronavirus hotspot.
REGULATIONS are set to be tightened at the eThekwini Municipality after it emerged as a Coronavirus hotspot.
ALSO READ: Hospitality industry workers suffer during the lockdown
EThekwini accounts for 77 per cent of the 534 recorded Coronavirus cases in the province and 4.4% of the 22 deaths according to stats released by Sihle Zikalala, Premier of KwaZulu-Natal.
“It has therefore become crystal clear that eThekwini district has become the epicentre of COVID – 19 in KwaZulu Natal. Although this may be explained by the fact that eThekwini is a metro, and has the highest concentration of the population of KwaZulu-Natal, these figures are nevertheless extremely worrying,” he said.
Zikalala attributed the spike to people not taking the lockdown regulations seriously. As a result, the government will be deploying more soldiers and police officials to certain sections of eThekwini to enforce the lockdown regulations.
The KZN government will also be ramping up its door-to-door testing and screening campaigns so they identify and isolate known patients.
On Tuesday Zikalala along with Mxolisi Kaunda, eThekwini Mayor, were out on the road where law enforcement officials had been running roadblocks, vehicle checkpoints and movement checks of persons at high commuter areas.
ALSO READ: Police Minister visits KZN to assess compliance to Covid-19 lockdown rules
Zikalala said more than 10 000 people in KZN have been arrested and charged for contravening lockdown regulations.
Door to door, high commuter areas and taxi ranks screening dates for Durban areas are:
Overport & Durban North – 20 April 2020
Musgrave, Umhlanga & La Lucia – 21 April 2020
Dbn West Street – 22 April 2020
Berea – 23 April 2020
Clare Estate – 24 April 2020
Glenwood – 25 April 2020
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