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Limited testing a concern in Northern Cape

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Northern Cape residents are concerned that a lot of people may be carrying the coronavirus unawares, as not enough testing has been conducted in the region to date.

Less than 1% of the province’s more than 1.1 million population has been tested.

“We’re very happy to see the low rate of infections in the province but in other words also we’re not that happy because we are not that sure how far our testing is,” one resident bemoaned.

“As a person who went to hospital when I was ill, I feel like nothing has been done because when I got there and asked to be tested for COVID-19 and they told me to go back home and relax, so I feel like not everybody is being tested – so we cannot really be sure and be happy about the numbers.”

Residents are concerned that the provincial Health Department is focusing on screening instead of testing, which could be disastrous as those who are asymptomatic, might be easily be detected.

More than 6 000 infections have been confirmed and the number of COVID-19 related deaths has risen by seven in South Africa, taking the country’s death toll to 123.

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Government has expressed relief over the increase in the number of recovered COVID-19 patients, which now stands at 2 549.

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