NELSON MANDELA BAY - MUNCIPALITY: STRICTER REGULATIONS ARE NEEDED TO CURB SPIKING COVID-19 INFECTIONS IN THE METRO

In an effort to curb the further spread of COVID-19 in Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, Acting Mayor Councillor Thsonono Buyeye has highlighted that the City would most welcome stricter COVID-19 regulations as new evidence shows that free movement within the City is spreading the deadly virus.

Mayor Buyeye said the City’s infection rate was still on the rise with a total of 3876 active cases recorded as at 29 November 2020.

“Stricter restrictions are needed in the City and we have submitted all our inputs to the Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize and other stakeholders last week. Everyone is aware of the situation. If we don’t curb the infections in the City, the virus will spread uncontrollably across the country and we do not want that.

“With the festive season looming we are at a higher risk of having the virus all over the country if we do not enforce stricter regulations now. We get videos and pictures of irresponsible social gatherings of young people having parties in places such as Zwide and Motherwell and we are extremely worried because we really believe we have done everything we could do to educate residents about the seriousness of our situation.”

New statistics show that Uitenhage is leading with active cases, with 514 active cases recorded as at 29 November 2020 in the area.

“While social gatherings remain our major problem, we have not stopped enforcing the law in churches and funerals as those can be super spreaders too. Motherwell is still a major concern as 275 active cases were recorded there on Sunday. We are urging our residents to stop the spread of the virus, no one else is causing this problem but us. People are dying almost every day and it is in our hands, we could just this once sacrifice everything we are used for the sake of saving people’s lives,” Buyeye said.

NMBM Disaster Management Chairperson Shane Brown said stricter regulations can not be avoided as people move around during the festive season and the City is one of the destination of choice.

“The more cases we see in other areas, the more there is a need for stricter regulations. Private hospitals have reached maximum capacity for COVID-19 treatment and while the public hospitals and the field hospital have capacity, there is not enough staff to treat patients due to the same virus and other work related challenges.”

“Residents need to avoid these large gatherings all together in all their different forms. Currently the regulations allow for 200 people to gather in one church if the building has a capacity of 400. But with the reality we faced with, we urge residents to not be part of such large gatherings as this increases their chances of contracting the virus and spreading it to those who did not even attend such gatherings,” said Brown