Lower number of COVID-19 cases can be attributed to fewer tests: NICD

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) says the relatively low number of reported new COVID-19 cases must be seen in the context of the lower number of tests being conducted, close to 37 000 in the latest reporting period.

South Africa has recorded 7 733 new cases of the coronavirus, pushing the total number of infections to 2 391 223.

The test positivity rate has declined to 21.2%, which is still four times higher than when the spread of the virus is considered to be under control.

Another 370 people have died from COVID 19-related complications in South Africa in the latest 24-hour reporting period taking the death toll to 70 388.

Latest SA stats:

Meanwhile, management of an affluent residential estate north of Johannesburg has admitted that it erred in asking tenants of a barracks housing its employees to vacate the premises if they did not get vaccinated.

Property developer Bondev which developed Midstream Estates – where the barracks is located has since withdrawn the circular. The tenants of the barracks, who are security guards who work at the estate, say they felt they were being victimised.

The South African Human Rights Commission has threatened to take the matter to court. The commission’s Buang Jones says they welcome the withdrawal of the circular.

“We were further concerned that the right could potentially be trampled upon if the commission didn’t intervene. We had already made a determination that this was a potentially litigious matter which we would have wanted to take to court as a test case.  But we are heartened by the posture that has been taken by the property management company. They have admitted that they could have handled the situation differently.”

Management of an affluent estate admits to trying to force security personnel to vaccinate: