Covid-19: Wastewater samples show spike in Limpopo
The South African Medical Research Council's (SAMRC) Professor Angela Mathee said their Wastewater Surveillance Programme has picked up a significant spike in Covid-19 cases, especially in Nkowankowa.
POLOKWANE – The Limpopo Department of Health has no record of an increase in Covid-19 cases despite the South African Medical Research Council saying this was picked up through wastewater samples.
The council stated that a significant spike has been seen in parts of Limpopo, the Western Cape and Eastern Cape, picked up through their Wastewater Surveillance Programme.
The council’s Professor Angela Mathee explained to ENCa on October 13 that after months of calm, there has been an increase in the concentration of SARS-COV-2.
“There has been a very steep rise in Nkowankowa in Limpopo and half of the wastewater samples received over a three week period saw weekly increases,” she said.
Mathee added that the NICD has also seen an increase in positive tests.
“It is possible that many of the cases are mild and asymptomatic but we do know that from our wastewater samples, is that there are many more people right now who are Covid-19 positive,” she said.
The Department of Health’s spokesperson Neil Shikwambana did however, add that while they don’t necessarily see a spike in the positivity rate, this may the case as testing remains extremely low in the province and as a result, daily figures are not increasing.
“Our positivity rate is high but Limpopo’s weekly cases are still at its lowest point as well as hospital admissions,'” he told Polokwane Observer.
According to the NICD’s weekly testing summary up to October 8, Limpopo had the third highest percentage of positive tests at 7.1%, while PCR testing was the lowest in the province at 4 tests per 100 000.
As of October 17, Limpopo had eight new cases and a cumulative total of 160 277.
