An upsurge in Covid-19 cases in the Northern Cape, North West and Free State has been flagged by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD).

“The team is working with the respective provinces to ascertain whether the rise in cases can be attributed to cluster outbreaks, and recommend increased testing and contact tracing to contain the situation and limit further spread,” said Dr Harry Moultrie, senior epidemiologist at the NICD.

“With the April school holiday season rapidly approaching and many making plans for travel and social gatherings, complying with non-pharmaceutical measures to minimise transmission of the coronavirus remains vital,” said the NICD.

“We are actively monitoring the situation in these provinces and will keep the community informed of any new developments,” said Prof Adrian Puren, the NICD's acting executive director.

The cumulative number of Covid-19 cases in SA reached 1,568,366 on Tuesday evening. Data provided by health minister Zweli Mkhize indicated the most active cases in the country were in KwaZulu-Natal at 5,587 followed by 3,358 in the Northern Cape.

The NICD urged South Africans to wear face masks, practice good hand hygiene and ensure a physical distance of at least 1.5m from others.

“Where possible, social activities should take place outdoors or in well-ventilated areas/rooms with open windows and doors, as proper ventilation plays an important role in reducing transmission.”

The NICD monitors the number of laboratory-confirmed Covid-19 cases, tests performed on a daily basis and associated resurgence metrics. 

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