Gauteng gov confirms Covid-19 cases doubled in one week to 26,000

Gauteng health MEC Bandile Masuku gave an update on the latest measures and numbers of Covid-19 in the province on Thursday, and the numbers are not looking good.

Comparing data from the previous week where the province had 15,898 confirmed cases, Maskuku confirmed that this week the number has increased to 26,126.

Johannesburg is still the hotspot in the province, the task team is predicting that the Covid-19 peak will be around September.

Masuku said they have noticed an increasing number of mini outbreaks in some companies as more people return to work. Pointing out that people organising parties, and illegal gatherings are contributing to the spread of the virus.

Testing backlogs have been reported across the country and Masuku said currently the backlog in the province stands at 30,000. He said this would likely be resolved by next week with the help of private laboratories.

There are currently 67 Covid-19 patients on ventilators and 284 on oxygen in the province’s hospitals, and the majority of the patients are in private hospitals. 

Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi also gave an update on the situation in schools. He said there are 176 schools that have been affected by Covid-19 cases, where 58 pupils and 188 teachers tested positive.

Lesufi said the biggest issue they face as a department is basic infrastructure such as water and electricity and will be looking at other facilities such as churches to accommodate learners whose schools have been vandalised.   

The education department will implement a rotational load due to the high number of learners, 1.3 million in the province, with a certain number of learners and grades attending school on specific dates.

More grades will be resuming learning on July 6, Lesufi says that schools will be given leeway on how they will mitigate risks, admitting it would be reckless to say they are 100% ready for the reopening as it stands. 

(Compiled by Sandisiwe Mbhele)

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