Concerns over Covid-19 second wave rise as normal daily activities resume

A patient is being brought into the new dedicated Covid-19 facility at Mitchell's Plain Hospital, the Gift of the Givers Freesia Ward. Photographer Ayanda Ndamane African News Agency (ANA)

A patient is being brought into the new dedicated Covid-19 facility at Mitchell's Plain Hospital, the Gift of the Givers Freesia Ward. Photographer Ayanda Ndamane African News Agency (ANA)

Published Sep 29, 2020

Share

Johannesburg - As South Africa moves into the second week of lockdown alert level 1, concerns of a second wave of infection have arisen as people return to their normal daily activities.

As of Sunday evening, 1268 new cases of Covid-19 were recorded in just 24 hours, bringing the number of coronavirus cases to 670766, according to Health Minister Zweli Mkhize.

Another 22 people died, bringing the number of Covid-related deaths to 16398, with seven of the deaths reported in the Eastern Cape, five from KwaZulu-Natal, two from Gauteng, five from the North West and three from the Western Cape.

“We extend our condolences to the loved ones of the departed and thank the health-care workers who treated the deceased patients,” the minister said.

The number of recoveries have increased and now stand at 603721. That translates to a recovery rate of 90%, Mkhize said.

“The cumulative number of tests conducted to date is 4143466, with 15028 new tests conducted since the last report,” he added.

Although South Africa has moved into the second week of lockdown level 1, there are concerns that a second wave of infections will come as people return to their daily activities.

Health Department spokesperson Popo Maja said yesterday that the country could prevent the second wave if South Africans adhered to the mandated preventive measures.

“We have moved to level 1 but have not eased our alerts about the importance of preventive measures. Physical distance and cleaning of hands have proved to be effective in other countries that have gone through the pandemic,” he said.

SA Medical Association chairperson Dr Angelique Coetzee said looking at the trend of second waves in other countries, a second wave was expected.

“If you look at the statistics in other countries we do expect a second wave although we don’t think it will be as high as the first wave,” she said.

Coetzee said if physical distancing, hand washing and air flow in buildings were adequate, the chances of people contracting Covid-19 at the workplace, for example, were not very high.

“However, the lockdown cannot be the only measurement to get people to adhere to protocols. It is now up to the people of the country, and whether they adhere to these protocols or they are just going through it into the wind and get infected, and then we’ll definitely have a second wave,” she said.

Meanwhile, Gauteng remains the province with the highest number of lives lost to Covid-19 with 4203 reported deaths, but is closely followed by the Western Cape at 4163, while the Eastern Cape’s death toll is at 3110.

KwaZulu-Natal has recorded 2626 Covid-19 deaths, the Free State has 838, Mpumalanga recorded 520 and North West stands at 255. The Northern Cape has so far recorded the lowest number of Covid-19 fatalities at 197.

@Chulu_M

The Star

Related Topics:

Covid-19Lockdown