×

We've got news for you.

Register on SowetanLIVE at no cost to receive newsletters, read exclusive articles & more.
Register now

'The increase is exponential': Gauteng concerned about superspreader events as Covid-19 cases rise

The Gauteng government has raised concern over the recent surge of Covid-19 cases in the province. File photo.
The Gauteng government has raised concern over the recent surge of Covid-19 cases in the province. File photo.
Image: The Marabi Club/Facebook

The Gauteng government said on Friday it was worried about the recent surge in Covid-19 cases in the province.

The past week has seen a sharp increase in the number of new Covid-19 cases, with young people aged 11 to 20 constituting a large percentage of the new infections.

Tests conducted on December 6 and 7 2020 showed that 581 people in this age group tested positive for Covid-19. In the past week, there were 5,409 new Covid-19 cases, a steep increase from the previous week when there were 1,781 cases.

“The increase in the number of new cases in Gauteng is exponential, which means we should expect faster running numbers with a higher peak than in the first wave.

“This is believed to be due to a large number of gatherings of many people, particularly young people, with no adherence to non-pharmaceutical measures, that is wearing of masks, physical distancing and hand and surface sanitising. These gatherings are superspreader events which result in the virus spreading fast. They must be avoided at all costs. The virus remains vicious and is looking for opportunities to spread as more people travel and interact,” said Thabo Masebe, provincial government spokesperson.

The Gauteng government urged people to limit travelling and those who could not avoid travelling to take extra measures to protect themselves and others.

Law enforcement and health authorities will be conducting roadblocks, with screening and testing being done at various places throughout Gauteng during December and January. Joint operations for compliance enforcement will be conducted, said Masebe.

 TimesLIVE


Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.