Western Cape’s Covid-19 infections, deaths have trebled in two weeks

Johannesburg - Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said he would accompany President Cyril Ramaphosa to the Western Cape next week. 

This comes as the province has experienced a surge in Covid-19 cases since it overtook Gauteng as the province with the most infections two weeks ago. 

Two weeks ago, on April 23, the Western Cape had 1 279 Covid-19 cases and 28 virus-related deaths, and as of Thursday night, infections had trebled to 3 994 cases and deaths had almost trebled, to 84. 

By comparison, Gauteng in the same period has gone from 1 252 infections and 8 fatalities to 1 720 cases and 15 deaths. 

KZN, with the second most deaths at 40, and 1 204 current cases, had 758 infections and 27 fatalities two weeks ago. 

LATEST BREAKDOWN

Mkhize said the cases were surging in the Western Cape because there was a cluster outbreak. 

“What we are seeing in the Western Cape is a cluster outbreak. We need to find a mechanism to go into those areas and deal with the outbreak more strongly,” he said. 

Mkhize said he was concerned that the Western Cape now accounted for just under 50% of all infections in the country.  

“We will be visiting the Western Cape with the president next week to give the necessary support. We will work with them and see what additional reinforcements are needed,” he said. 

Mkhize had announced earlier on Thursday night that South Africa now had 8 232 confirmed Covid-19 infections and 161 deaths, after 424 new infections were recorded. 

The eight people who died were from the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal – with six and two deaths, respectively. 

“The rest of the country has a spread of the infection which is not the same (as the Western Cape),” said Mkhize.

Meanwhile, the national lottery operator, Ithuba, donated branded cloth masks to frontline workers, including the SAPS and healthcare workers.