NELSON MANDELA BAY - UITENHAGE AND KWANOBUHLE ARE QUICKLY BECOMING THE NEW NMB COVID-19 HOTSPOT

KwaNobuhle and Uitenhage are fast approaching similiar Covid-19 figures and together now exceed the number of cases in Nelson Mandela Bay’s hotspots.

This was according to a statement sent by municipal spokesperson Mamela Ndamase on Wednesday.

Ndamase said Uitenhage had 306 and KwaNobuhle 266 confirmed cases respectively, adding that the municipality noted with concern the rising number of infections.

Motherwell, the Covid-19 hotspot in the metro, has 547 confirmed cases as of June 22.

Disaster management forum chair Shane Brown said the city had a newly developed hotspot in Uitenhage and KwaNobuhle.

“We must not ignore what is happening across the city — cases have increased everywhere,” he said.

Brown said private hospitals beds were full.

“The provincial hospitals such as Dora Nginza, Uitenhage Provincial and Livingstone hospitals do have some capacity, but they are also filling up.

“Fortunately we have the new [Rev Dr Elizabeth Mamisa Chabula-Nxiweni] VW[SA] field hospital which will open on July 1 and will assist hugely with the rising numbers.

“The stadium is also filling as we now have more than 150 patients.

“The VWSA field hospital came at the right time — it is perfect timing,” Brown said.

Phase 1 of the field hospital opening in Korsten was attended by health minister Zweli Mkhize and Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane.

Phase one has capacity for 1,400 beds and once phase three is open there will be 3,300 beds.

Brown urged residents to continue adhering to the health department’s safety measures as there was still no vaccine for the virus.

“The department of health is very clear that people must wash their hands regularly, wear face masks all the time when in public and keep to social distancing.

“We urge residents to only go out when there is a need to,” Brown said.

On Tuesday, Mkhize also warned South Africans that the country was riding into a devastating and decimating storm it had surpassed the 100,000 mark for Covid-19 cases, with more than 2,000 deaths.

He said government had done all it could and citizens needed to work with government, adhere to the regulations and wear masks.

via - DISPATCHLIVE