Eastern Cape health MEC tests positive for Covid-19

Eastern Cape Health MEC Sindiswa Gomba has tested positive for Covid-19, her office announced on Sunday evening.

“Her Covid-19 results came back today, 13 December. The MEC is at home for isolation as per the protocol of Covid-19,” department spokesperson Judy Ngoloyi said.

She added Gomba had advised all those whom she came directly into contact with to get tested.

“She has begun her isolation period commencing today. She is asymptomatic and will continue with her duties working from home. MEC Gomba would like to urge people to wear their masks, keep social distancing, wash and sanitise their hands frequently.”

Gomba’s infection comes under a week since Health Minister Zweli Mkhize declared South Africa was in a second wave of infections.

The Eastern Cape together with the Western Cape, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal were among the provinces identified as second wave culprits.

In a special live television broadcast on Wednesday night, 9 December, Mkhize said increases were seen in about six provinces.

The peak age bracket of new cases in the past two days is between 15 and 19.

He said the new cases were believed to be due to a large number of parties involving young people drinking alcohol with no adherence to non-pharmaceutical interventions; wearing of no masks and social distancing and hand sanitising also not taking place.

Mkhize said a report from KwaZulu-Natal showed the pattern was more widespread than previously thought.

“This inevitably leads to superspreader activities which spill over into the rest of the country as the age group is highly mobile and the majority of the carriers are largely asymptomatic,” he added.

Many of the new cases have been associated with Ballito Rage events in KwaZulu-Natal.

Other Rage events have been cancelled, and authorities on the Garden Route and in the Cape metro have cancelled planned events as the emergence of a second wave became clear.

However, Mkhize and other health officials have urged the public to also continue to exercise mitigating measures as many have stopped wearing masks and sanitising.

News24 Wire