KZN sees decline in new Covid-19 cases

As the world continues to struggle adjusting to the impact of the newest Covid strain, Omicron, indications are that South Africa is still on a downward curve in terms of new infections.

This fourth wave of Covid infections swept through the country since October, prompting mostly European countries to place South Africa on a travel red list, but this was eventually reversed.

“While the Omicron variant is highly transmissible, there has been lower rates of hospitalisation compared to previous waves. This means the country has spare capacity for admission of patients, even for routine health services. There has been a marginal increase in the number of deaths in all the provinces, but all indicators suggest the country may have passed the peak of the fourth wave,” said president Cyril Ramaphosa in his national address on December 30.

According to the KZN Health Department, cases across the province reached a peak of 4 702 per day in the third week of December, falling to 2 203 cases per day currently.

In iLembe, there have been 37 223 confirmed cases since the beginning of the pandemic, with 31 211 recoveries and 777 deaths.

In the past week 1 143 active cases and 3 deaths have been recorded.

KZN continues to rank third in terms of confirmed cases per province, contributing 18% of South Africa’s total cases and 16% of fatalities behind the Eastern Cape, Gauteng and the Western Cape.

Vaccination rates continue to be low across the country, especially in KZN.

By December 29 the province had vaccinated 2.751 million (38.1%) people since the process began last February, while more than 4.468 million still need to get the jab.

KZN Health MEC, Nomagugu Simelane, urged KZN residents to get vaccinated.

“It is extremely important. When you get a jab, you are not only doing it to save your own life, but also to protect your loved ones. Those who have not been vaccinated should pause and reflect on this,” she said.

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