Matric Rage parties declared super-spreader events, quarantine urged

Several 2020 matric Rage events have been classified as Covid-19 super-spreader events.

In a statement on Sunday afternoon, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said a number of positive cases have been identified from the events and everyone who attended must be considered a contact.

“We now urge all the Rage attendees to immediately go into a 10 day quarantine period as per the Department of Health Guidelines on Quarantine and Isolation. We also urge that all Rage attendants test for Covid-19,” he said.

Mkhize urged all parents to take their children for testing if the attended any of the events.

The events are:

• Rage Ballito, which took place from 27 November to 4 December 2020, and
• Rage Jeffery’s Bay, which took place from 26 November to 6 December.

There is a Rage Johannesburg scheduled for 12 to 13 December.

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While Mkhize’s statement named the Plettenberg Bay Rage as well (saying it took place from 27 November to 5 December), Plett Rage said on Facebook that the event is scheduled to take place from 29 January to 6 February 2021.

Youthful abandonment

Said Mkhize: “We warn South Africans that this is a clear illustration that large gatherings which involve the consumption of alcohol are a major risk and continue to undermine our efforts to contain the spread of the virus.”

While the coronavirus has generally not been dangerous to younger people and children, the minister added that as carriers, “they also put the lives of their parents, grandparents and other loved ones living with co-morbidities at risk”.

“It is also worth noting reports we have received that a few private hospitals in Durban now have full ICU’s,” he said.

Dr Kams Govender from the Value Health Hillcrest Medical and Urgent Care Centre took to Facebook over the weekend, saying the “past 48 hours has been overwhelming as a practitioner” as there has been an “influx of teens requiring Covid-19 PCR tests”.

This, he said as word spread about infections breaking out following the Ballito Rage event.

“Over the past two days, we noted that 95% of the teenagers who tested, were found to be Covid-19 positive, and even more worrying is that almost all were asymptomatic.”

Plett Rage

On Sunday afternoon, the Plett Rage posted a statement on its Facebook page saying that “many Ragers attending Durban Rage have tested positive for Covid-19″.

“We are aware of the concerning reports of increased Covid-19 related cases from people that travelled to Durban last week to celebrate the end of matric exams. Many of these students attended one or more of the Ballito Rage events that took place in Umhlanga, Ballito and Durban. We can not be sure at this time what impact this will have on Plett Rage…

“At this stage, the outcome of the event is unknown, and we will be making further announcements in the coming days.

“We will immediately stop all Plett Rage sales until further notice.”

Update: At the time of publication there was no official communication on the Ballito Rage Facebook page, on the official Rage Festival website, or on G&G Productions’ official social media channels. Since, a statement was posted on the Ballito Rage Facebook page. You can read it here. 

ALSO READ: Rage Festival: ‘We have a significant responsibility’ – organisers on precautions

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