Covid-19: ‘We are ready for second wave’ – KZN Health MEC
With the prohibition of alcohol and cigarettes set to be lifted on Monday midnight, Zikalala called on people to be responsible.
The MEC for Health, Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu, said the department is ready for a possible second wave of coronavirus cases as security restrictions ease.
Simelane-Zulu said they have built enough temporary structures in the three major districts, eThekwini, Ilembe and King Cetshwayo.
She said there has been no need to utilise the new infrastructure as yet as there has been no shortage of beds.
“We are calling on our people to take precautions and not take the fact that it looks like our numbers are going down and think it’s now suddenly a party.”
Simelane-Zulu warned that for as long as there is no vaccine for the coronavirus, the infections will continue.
Sihle Zikalala, KwaZulu-Natal Premier, revealed that while eThekwini remains the leading district in the province in terms of infections and deaths, there have been improvements recently.
“Ethekwini district has been receiving a median of 697 cases (range 331-1 545 cases) daily; from 1 3383 daily a month ago,” he said.
With the prohibition of alcohol and cigarettes set to be lifted on Monday midnight, Zikalala called on people to be responsible.
“We are cognisant of the threat of a new wave of Covid – 19 infections coming back to overwhelm us. We have seen it in other countries, where people thought the virus had subsided and then they started behaving recklessly, making the virus to come back stronger than before,” he said.
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At the time of going to press, the contents of this feature mirrored South Africa’s lockdown regulations.
