Limpopo residents urged to be careful as Covid-19 cases quadruple

The delta variant of Covid-19 is spreading fear in Limpopo, with authorities urging the public to be extra careful.

Provincial health MEC Phophi Ramathuba said yesterday her department believed the variant might be responsible for the rapid spike of Covid-19 cases there. Figures in the province jumped from 385 cases last Tuesday to 1 780 cases on Saturday.

“The time to be extra careful is now,” she said.

“Our people need to understand that this variant will make it extra difficult to keep numbers low. Therefore, we need to warn that there is an urgent need for an extreme turnaround in behavioural change [sic].”

The MEC added the province had also seen increased numbers on low-age categories of people getting infected.

She said about 67 cases of children under nine had been reported to be infected, while 638 cases were people aged from 15 to 34.

“With the discovery of the delta variant, unrepentant behavioural patterns such as social and political gatherings are a recipe for disaster,” warned the MEC.

“If our people will continue to defiantly organise parties and other social jamborees, the spread will be too difficult to contain.

“It must be borne in mind that our social gatherings, such as after tears, may as well end in tears.”