EASTERN CAPE - ARE FUNERALS A HOTBED FOR THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 IN THE PROVINCE?

Funerals in the Eastern Cape continue to be a major concern when it comes to the spreading of COVID-19.

In Port St Johns, six people tested positive after attending a funeral. In the Chris Hani District Municipality area, 21 people tested positive after locals attended a funeral last weekend.

Health officials have been deployed to the area to investigate the possible source of the new cases.

Hundreds attended the funeral contravening the lockdown regulations. Local residents have expressed concern.

“We are scared because we attended the funeral and people think we have virus,” says a resident.

“This pains us because people are now visiting our village frequently and we don’t even know whether they have the virus. We had to go to the funeral because that was a family member,” argues another one.

“We thought that this virus was far from us, we didn’t think it would come to our village.”

Quarantine areas 

Authorities are setting up quarantine areas. The Department of Public Works, which has been tasked to identify the quarantine sites is able to do that. The setting up of those quarantine sites are done in line with the requirements as set by the Department of Health.

“So in our own district called Chris Hani, there are quite a number of quarantine sites identified. Some of those who have been identified to have tested positive will be taken there, ” says Wongama Gela, Chris Hani District Municipality Mayor.

Provincial government is pleading with community leaders to engage communities to refrain from mass gatherings.

“We are concerned that some members of our society in urban and rural areas ignore these regulations by continuing to hold events and gatherings. These regulations are in place to protect the people from contracting the virus. We want councillors and traditional leaders to spread the message to the communities where they lead,” says Oscar Mabuyane, Eastern Cape Premier.

Screenings and testing continue throughout the province.

via - SABC