Health experts in Gauteng have warned that if cases of Covid-19 do not drop in two days, the province might have to prepare for the worst-case scenario.
In a briefing held on Thursday in Ormonde, Johannesburg by the provincial command council, Dr Mary Kawonga from the premier’s advisory committee said Gauteng was the epicentre of the pandemic and it needed urgent intervention to slow down the rate of infections, hospitalisation and deaths.
“On Thursday and today have shown the highest numbers ever seen since the beginning of the pandemic,” she said.
She said the rate at which the pandemic had accelerated was very worrying and this, according to studies, had been found to be the result of individual behaviour and high mobility of people.
Kawonga said the government might have to slow down the spread by announcing stricter restrictions on alcohol sales, though this could affect the economy and jobs.
However, premier David Makhura said shutting down the economy was not possible. He said the hurt that would come from shutting down the economy would be immense.
“We cannot shut down the economy, we cannot ask the national council to shut down the economy. We cannot afford to shut down the economy. Slowing down the pandemic is in our hands,” he said.
Kawonga said another fundamental way to curb the infection rate was for the government and corporate sector to identify asymptomatic Covid-19 patients who are not isolating.
Kawonga said Gauteng had seen the highest number of daily infections since the start of the pandemic last year.
“We have over 10,000 infections a day and it’s not stopping. We need people to understand that the situation is serious. Hospital beds are packed and healthcare workers are stretched,” she said.
Prof Bruce Mellado, a member of the committee, also said that every Gauteng metro had experienced higher numbers of daily infections.
“Artificial Intelligence has also indicated that infections have increased above required pick numbers,” he said. He added that intelligence from Facebook data indicated that there was still high mobility among infected people within metros and districts.
Makhura said bed occupancy at Gauteng hospitals stood at 5,842.
“I cannot mislead people and say the situation is under control. But without time to wonder and stress we have to find solutions and hire more personnel,” said Makhura.
The premier said police should enforce the 9pm curfew everywhere.
“We want to see high visibility of police to ensure no unnecessary movement and compliance to masks and sanitising at all times.”
Makhura said infections at schools were dropping and he had also asked the religious community to be vigilant.
“We have also engaged with the religious sectors on compliance in churches and mosques to help us comply and preach the word to help the nation fight the pandemic. I’m appealing on my knees. If you know someone or a family who is not complying and going out for no reason, just appeal to them.”
— Additional reporting TimesLIVE
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