‘Hotspots will also move to level 3’, says health minister

National health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize clarified on Wednesday that so-called coronavirus “hotspot” areas will also be moving to level 3, along with the rest of the country on 1 June.

This after Mkhize’s recent presentation to parliament suggested hotspots would remain at level 4, contradicting President Ramaphosa’s speech on Sunday, causing confusion.

Mkhize said an old slide was presented, stating hotspots would remain at level 4. He said the slide was part of a presentation previously done by the health department before Ramaphosa’s announcement.

“As announced by President Ramaphosa on 24 May, we confirm that the whole country will move to level 3,” he said.

Mkhize also said the government has taken steps to intervene in areas regarded as hotspots by deploying experts and specialists who will implement measures to curb the spread.

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“These areas also require heightened levels of tracing of contacts of positive patients, ensuring that those who are positive remain in quarantine/isolation and those who cannot self-quarantine, are accommodated in quarantine facilities provided for by the provinces.”

He said this measure was put in place to limit the risk of further local transmissions.

“In some of these hotspots, cluster outbreaks have also been identified. This means, positive cases arising from people participating in the same activity within a specific area. These include factories, grocery shops, farms, etc.

“Those areas also require a rapid response of screening, testing and the tracing of contacts.”

He said cluster outbreaks contributed greatly to the infection rate.

“This, therefore, means that as the whole country moves to level 3, there will be a constant assessment of each and every area and its rate of infection, in which case, further containment measures and restrictions may be considered.”

He added that if the spread of the infection would not be contained despite interventions, the government will decide on whether to return that specific area to alert level 4 or 5.

“This raises the importance of social behaviour. Members of the community can and must take it upon themselves to observe social distancing by keeping more than the one-metre distance from the next person; constantly wash and/or sanitise hands; wearing a face mask.”

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