Gauteng to step up Covid-19 fight – Makhura

Visible ward-based Covid-19 teams, intensive public education and the mass mobilisation of communities.

These are part of the strategy that Gauteng – SA’s most populous province and its economic engine – will be rolling out in earnest from Monday, marking the countrywide commencing of alert Level 3, according to Premier David Makhura.

Addressing a media briefing of the Gauteng Provincial Command Council’s (GPCC) anti-coronavirus campaign, he paid tribute to foot soldiers at ward level for much progress in containing the spread of the virus, saying efforts would redouble from Monday.

He said the GPCC’s strategy has already yielded “good results” in several vulnerable communities – and making an impact in areas previously regarded as hotspots. These included northern Kempton Park, Tembisa and Ivory Park in Ekurhuleni.

“In the last seven days, Gauteng had 2,400 cases of people who tested positive for Covid-19, but we have later seen this number going down to 929, representing 61% of recoveries from 72%,” said Makhura.

The regional case recovery rate as of 20 May also showed a decrease in cases: Johannesburg (83%), Ekurhuleni (71%), Tshwane (70%), Sedibeng (32%) and West Rand (59%).

Referring to hotspots he defined as “a district that has five or more active cases per 100 000 population or the high number of new positive cases over 14 days”, Makhura said the GPCC would intensify:

• Focus on hotspots and vigilance for new outbreaks at ward level;
• Deployment of multidisciplinary and multisectoral response teams led by public health experts, including Cuban doctors;
• Involvement of local leaders, civil society, NGOs, emergency management services and community policing forums – among other key stakeholders; and
• Addressing health issues: public education, screening, testing for Covid-19, TB, HIV and other chronic illnesses.

Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi assured parents of the safety of children returning to school.

“We have mobilised 4,000 people to help in screening, 12,000 cleaners and 3,000 people to help children with special needs,” he said.

– brians@citizen.co.za

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