Tshwane has seen a sharp increase in active Covid-19 cases in the past week. The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), said it has observed this increase in the Gauteng province, particularly in Tshwane, especially among the 10-29-year-olds over the past week.
Tshwane has recorded 1 689 active cases as of Sunday, November 21.Last week Sunday, the number of active cases stood at 362.
Contributing to these cases was a recently identified cluster in the 20-44 age group at the Tshwane University of Technology’s arts campus.
The institution recorded 55 positive cases of students including one staff member between November 16-18.
“A tracking and tracing process has started at affected residences and further residence or campus specific communication will follow soon,” said the university’s spokesperson, Phaphama Tshisikhawe.
“All contact student activities on the campus have been suspended but online teaching in various departments has continued where possible and students are busy preparing for end of year practical evaluations.”
Tshisikhawe said the campus was fully decontaminated, however, the institution was still assessing when the campus would be fully operational.
She said the students were self-isolating in the residences. “Most of the students who have tested positive are only displaying mild symptoms,” she said.
“These students are monitored continuously and should any of them get sicker, the registered emergency medical services will transport them to the hospital.” Tshisikhawe said the institution did everything necessary to prevent such and would continue to do so.
“We have been communicating, running campaigns daily regarding Covid-19 protocols and vaccination,” she said adding that the university’s lecture rooms, labs and other facilities on all campuses were cleaned daily before use.
“Students and staff are requested to utilise the Health-Check self-monitoring app every day and respond to the questions asked before coming to campus. Should the Health Check App determine that you are at high risk, please stay at home and monitor yourself for signs and symptoms of Covid-19.
“Buses will not be overloaded. Sufficient buses are made available to accommodate all students. All buses are decontaminated before and after operation. Also, social gatherings are not permitted at residences or anywhere at our campuses.”
Tshwane mayoral spokesperson Sipho Stuurman said the metro’s spiking infection rate was concerning with areas such as Hatfield, Atteridgeville, Mamelodi East, Centurion and Soshanguve being the most worrisome. Stuurman said another concern was that, traditionally over the festive season, Tshwane residents welcomed visitors from other areas and provinces.
“This can obviously increase the possibility of infections. We therefore appeal to residents to continue adhering to the well-known Covid-19 safety protocols,” he said.
“While it might be too early to talk about the fourth wave being in our midst, now is not the time to let our guard down.”
NICD acting executive director, Prof Adrian Puren, said experts were monitoring trends to see if these increases in Covid-19 cases persisted.
“Localised increases in case numbers (clusters) are not unexpected, however, it is hard to say whether the increases indicate the start of a widespread resurgence,” he said.
Previous waves have been driven to a large extent by the emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants, with the Beta variant in the second wave and Delta in the third wave.
“Genomic sequencing in South Africa has, to date, not yet detected the emergence of any new variants which are making up an increasing proportion of the sequences,” Puren said.
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