Cape Town - A firestorm of Covid-19 infections is sweeping across the country, with the number of infections reaching almost 38 000 over the weekend.
On Monday, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) reported 37 875 new cases, which includes 19 840 retrospective cases and 18 035 new cases.
The Western Cape has officially entered the fourth wave in terms of the technical definition provided by the NICD.
As of 3pm yesterday, the number of Covid-19 hospitalisations across private and public hospitals in the province were at 439, with a total of 45 persons admitted to ICU and high care facilities.
The province said in a statement: “We are not yet seeing the same rapid increases in hospitalisations and deaths as previous waves, although it is still too early to tell if this trend will continue over the next few weeks.”
Speaking on Monday at the launch of a vaccination social mobilisation campaign at Athlone Stadium, Deputy Health Minister Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo said that while numbers were rising, fewer people are being seen in hospitals thanks to the ongoing vaccination programme.
He said over 27 million vaccines have been dispensed and that over 740 000 children had been vaccinated.
He said the Western Cape accounts for over 4.3 million doses administered, second to Gauteng with seven million.
Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa said the aim of the vaccination campaign was to urge creatives and sporting industry practitioners to vaccinate, with the aim of unlocking the creative and sporting economy.
Elsewhere, Premier Alan Winde said that while facing another wave of Covid-19 cases was scary, citizens must remain calm and turn their anxiety into action.
“What is different in this wave is that we have the vaccine as a weapon in the fight. Let’s use it. The risk is simply too great to not get vaccinated now.”
Health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo said the province had adopted a six-point action plan to ensure it responded to the fourth wave.
The six-point plan includes changing community behaviour to prevent infection; ensuring ongoing surveillance; and, supporting and maintaining the mass vaccination campaign.
At the same time, the province announced that the Athlone Vaccination Centre at Athlone Stadium will be closing its 40 vaccination booths at the walk-through section on Wednesday this week.
The drive-through vaccination section at the stadium will remain open from Monday to Friday, between 8:30am and 4pm, until January 21 next year, and then it will also close.
Provision will be made for walk-through clients at the drive-through area until full closure next year.
Provincial health department spokesperson Monique Johnstone said the closure was in line with the contractual agreement the province had with the City.
Johnstone said the site is being closed down in stages as vaccines are being made available to all communities through pop-up vaccination sites in residential areas and through the recently launched Vaxi Taxi services.
ANC provincial health spokesperson Rachel Windvogel said the closure came as no surprise as the sites had been costly and ineffective for the province to run, and didn't come close to meeting the planned targets for vaccination.
“The resources could have been better spent opening more vaccination sites in the poor working class communities and rural regions.”
Meanwhile, following President Cyril Ramaphosa testing positive for the virus, he is receiving treatment for mild Covid-19 symptoms.
He tested positive after a state memorial service for former president FW de Klerk on Sunday.
Ramaphosa is quarantined in Cape Town and is being looked after by the South African Military Health Service of the SA National Defence Force.
Deputy President David Mabuza has taken over Ramaphosa’s responsibilities for the next week.
mwangi.githahu@inl.co.za