The incidence of coronavirus infections in both metros in the Eastern Cape, Nelson Mandela Bay and Buffalo City, has increased above the “safe” rate of five cases per 100,000 of the population.
Professor Darelle van Greunen from Nelson Mandela University said this week that it is difficult to predict what the third wave might look like.
“There are many factors that could impact that… more mutation of the virus, the pace of vaccinations, human behaviour and lack of compliance, testing. With the adjusted Level 1 lockdown and the approach of winter and the flu season, there may even be new drivers that are unknown as yet.”
An incidence of 5/100,000 or less is regarded as a safe level for coronavirus infections. Nelson Mandela Bay currently has a rate of 7.2/100,000 and Buffalo City Metro 6.1/100,000.
Nelson Mandela Bay was identified as the epicentre of the second wave of coronavirus infections in SA, with the 501Y.V2 variant first identified in samples from Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth). The latest analysis of the epidemic confirms that the second wave “had more deaths”, and lasted longer than the first wave...
This article appeared in The Daily Maverick on 14 April 2021, written by Estelle Ellis. Read the full article at: www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2021-04-14-coronavirus-cases-imported-to-eastern-cape-over-easter-weekend-ec-department-of-health/
Commuters leave from the Philippi Bus Interchange for the Eastern Cape. (Photo: Brenton Geach)