Zweli Mkhize: all districts in SA are now Covid-19 hotspots

Health minister Zweli Mkhize says all 52 districts in SA are now Covid-19 hotspots.

According to Mkhize, who made the revelation during his social cluster briefing, this was an indication of the deadliness of the coronavirus.

The minister said SA had 12 hotspots in May: Tshwane, Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, eThekwini, Nelson Mandela Bay, Buffalo City, Cape Town, West Coast, Overberg, Cape Winelands, Chris Hani and iLembe.

Hotspots are areas that have more than five infected people per 100,000, or where new infections are increasing at a fast pace.

“Depending on the average active cases per 100,000 people, districts will be individually assigned levels of lockdown to prevent the spread of the virus,” Mkhize said at the time.

Mkhize said 52 districts across the country are now hotspots because of  the rapid increase in Covid-19 infections.

“There are 52 districts which can be regarded as hotspots. Covid-19 is spreading, we are losing our loved ones and our families and friends are being infected. It is important for everyone to change their behaviour, take responsibility and stem the tide of the pandemic,” said Mkhize.

“If anyone doubted the aggressiveness of the pandemic, I think we should be aware that it’s time to wake up and take notice.” 

He stressed the importance of behavioural change to save lives.

“We have to stress that continuous isolation and quarantine of infected people remains our biggest weapon to contain the spread of the pandemic. We will later in the week announce the changes in quarantine days,” he said.

To date, SA has 298,292 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 4,346 deaths. 

Districts in SA

Western Cape

• Cape Town metro
• West Coast
• Cape Winelands
• Overberg
• Eden
• Central Karoo

Eastern Cape 

• Nelson Mandela Bay metro
• Cacadu
• Amatole
• Chris Hani
• Ukhahlamba
• OR Tambo
• Alfred Nzo

Free State 

•  Xhariep
• Motheo
• Lejweleputswa
• Thabo Mofutsanyane
• Fezile Dabi

Northern Cape

• Namakwa
• Pixley ka Seme
• Siyanda
• Frances Baard
• Kgalagadi (name has changed to John Taola Gaetsewe)

North West

• Bojanala Platinum
• Ngaka Modiri Molema
• Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati
• Dr Kenneth Kaunda

Gauteng

• West Rand
• Johannesburg metro
• Sedibeng
• Ekurhuleni metro
• Metsweding
• Tshwane metro

Limpopo 

• Mopani
• Vhembe
• Capricorn
• Waterberg
• Greater Sekhukhune

Mpumalanga 

• Gert Sibande
• Nkangala
• Ehlanzeni

KwaZulu-Natal 

• Amajuba
• Zululand
• Umkhanyakude
• uThungulu
• Umzinyathi
• Uthukela
• Umgungundlovu
• iLembe
• eThekwini metro
• Ugu
• Sisonke.