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Covid numbers continue to rise
Writer De Waal Steyn
While summer is in full swing and Overstranders are missing the beach and our region’s delicious wines and beers, the number of active Covid-19 infections is still higher than what it was during the first wave.
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On Monday, the number of active cases in the Overberg stood at 1 978, of which 733 were in the Overstrand. Since the start of the outbreak, 270 people in the Overberg have lost their lives due to the Coronavirus.
Masizole Mnqasela, speaker of the Western Cape Government and Member of the Provincial Parliament for the Overberg said in a statement last week that deaths in the province in the two weeks preceding New Year’s Day rose to an average of 100 per day or 1 death every 10 minutes.
“Our positivity rate has gone up by 50% and the Department of Health will not be able to manage this alone. Our healthcare workers are only human; they too are tired now. We have lost 20 healthcare workers in the past 20 days. Let us all play our part and minimise our contact with people we don’t stay with,” Mnqasela said.
According to him, what is of significant concern at this stage is that children are infected with the virus and infecting adults and other children too. “Children also get as critically ill from Covid-19. The Department of Health has already established where the areas of highest infection per district are. This data will be used to proactively plan for the safe return to school as the 2021 official opening nears.”
He said that additional beds were received from the Western Cape Government for the Overstrand Municipal area to augment the current capacity at the Hermanus Provincial Hospital.
While the number of infected people nationally is still climbing at an alarming rate, the state hopes to conclude negotiations with Coronavirus vaccine suppliers and begin vaccinating frontline healthcare workers in February, according to a rollout strategy announced by Health Minister Zweli Mkhize on Sunday evening.
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