The acting mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, Tshonono Buyeye, says they have identified social gatherings as the super spreader events that are driving the sharp rise in coronavirus infections in the city.
The Eastern Cape now has more than 11 000 active cases of which 80% are in the metro.
Minister of Health Dr Zweli Mkhize is also in the city as stakeholders are putting their heads together to halt the rapid spread of the virus.
The minister will inspect hotspots and meet with tavern owners.
Buyeye says the best way to curb the spread is by enforcing COVID-19 regulations in places of entertainment.
“We’ve seen videos of people out there socialising, especially where there is alcohol involved, we have not seen incidents where people have misbehaved but in terms of them socialising, drinking with no social distancing and no mask or sanitiser and sharing cigarettes and glasses, all those things that are very scary at this time especially with our rate of infections.”
Minister of Health Dr Zweli Mkhize is visiting the Eastern Cape on Thursday:
Earlier, Health MEC Sindiswa Gomba says there are not enough doctors in COVID-19 wards and it is a big challenge for the province as it is trying to deal with the resurgence of the coronavirus. The Nelson Mandela Metro accounts for 42 percent of the country’s new infections.
The Department of Health says the virus is claiming the lives of more than one in four patients in the province and there are more than 11 000 active cases in the Eastern Cape.
Gomba says that although relief doctors are coming the province is still in dire need.
“We are lucky at this time, we have got doctors that have come on board, we have Doctors without Borders. Our brigade of Cuban doctors have also come through. We are drawing doctors from where they are not needed to Port Elizabeth. That does not suggest we have enough until we have a proper analysis of shortages of staff.”
Business community very concerned
The business community in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro is very concerned about the rapid spread of the coronavirus in the Eastern Cape.
Business leaders say not enough is being done to address the alarming spike in new infections.
The business chamber is now calling on its members to assist government with its awareness campaigns.
Nelson Mandela Bay overwhelmed as cases surge:
SA latest COVID-19 stats:
On Wednesday, the country recorded 3 250 new coronavirus cases, taking the total number of cases to date to 775 502.
The country also recorded 118 new COVID-19 related fatalities.
In a statement, Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize says most of the new deaths were recorded in the Eastern Cape.
“Regrettably, we report 118 more COVID-19 related deaths: 51 from Eastern Cape, 24 from the Free State, 7 from Gauteng, 2 from KwaZulu-Natal, 4 from Limpopo and 30 from the Western Cape,” says Dr Mkhize.
This brings the total number of deaths to 21 201.
The cumulative number of tests conducted to date is 5 355 068.
