Mkhize warns of big spike in Covid-19 cases in South Africa – here are new hotspots
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Health officials have recorded a worrying increase in Covid-19 cases across much of South Africa, says health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize.
He said in a statement on Thursday evening (6 May), that the Free State, Gauteng, Northern Cape and North West are of particular concern. However, he said that every province, with the notable exception of the Eastern Cape, has at least one district of concern.
Mkhize said that a number of districts have been flagged by the national institute for communicable diseases (NICD) as ‘under observation’, due to an appreciable rise in the 14-day average percentage change.
Dr Zweli Mkhize
NATIONAL NEWS - Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize has raised concerns after a number of districts within provinces had seen more than 20% average increase in cases over the past two weeks.
Addressing this in a statement released on Wednesday evening, Mkhize said there was a “worrying trend” in the rising cases, which has prompted the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) to flag the districts as “under observation”.
“In the past two weeks, we have noticed a worrying trend of increasing numbers of detected cases in a number of districts. Free State, Gauteng, Northern Cape and North West are of particular concern but every province, with the notable exception of Eastern Cape, has at least one district of concern,” said Mkhize.
A health worker sprays sanitiser on a manâs hands as people undergo screenings for Covid-19 in Lenasia, south of Joburg. South Africa and more than half of Africaâs 54 countries have imposed lockdowns, curfews, travel bans or other restrictions to try to contain the spread of the highly contagious new coronavirus. Picture: Themba Hadebe/AP
63 more Covid deaths as Mkhize warns of rising infections in seven provinces
By IOL Reporter
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Johannesburg - Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has warned of rising infections, notably in the Free State, Gauteng, the Northern Cape and North West provinces.
He said districts in seven provinces had seen a rise in infections in the past 14 days.
South Africa has now recorded more than 2000 new COVID-19 cases for the second day in a row. The country added 2150 new cases and 63 people died on Thursday, 6 May.
Minister of Health Dr Zweli said that there has been a week-on-week increase in the number of positive COVID-19 cases in South Africa. This “worrying trend” is most evident in districts in the Free State, Gauteng, Northern Cape and North West, said Mkhize.
However, he added, that every province in the country, besides the Eastern Cape, has at least one district of concern. In total, there are 21 districts of concern in eight provinces.
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Three suspects arrested for Cassandra copper cable theft DFA 08/02/2021
THREE suspects were arrested for the alleged theft of copper cable in Cassandra on Sunday.
The copper cable recovered at the scene is estimated to be worth about R15,000.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Dimakatso Mooi said the arrests came after members of the Kimberley Flying Squad reacted to a complaint about copper cable theft that was in progress in Samaria Road.
Mooi said that with the assistance of the Cassandra neighbourhood watch, the police found the suspects hiding in the veld.
“Further investigation led the police to the discovery of the alleged stolen copper cable,” said Mooi.