Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has called for more efforts to combat the spillover of Coronavirus infections between the Eastern Cape and the Western Cape, which is the epicentre in SA.
On Monday, Mkhize paid a second visit to the Eastern Cape to monitor the state of the fight against Covid-19.
The province has seen a significant spike in confirmed cases, currently having 1356 of the 10 652 cases in the country.
Half of the country’s infections are in the Western Cape, which on Monday recorded 5813 cases.
While 1796 people recovered, the death toll rose by four to 106 in the province.
The Tygerberg district had the most cases at 1002.
Mitchells Plain had 509 cases and Khayelitsha 736.
Western Cape Premier Alan Winde said that health experts have found that over 65% of patients who died had more than two underlying illnesses or comorbidities.
Only 6% of known Covid-19 deaths in the Western Cape had no comorbidities.
Further data suggests that 90% of people infected will not require hospitalisation.
“I do want to make an important point here: while the above facts indicate that vulnerable groups are most at risk, this does not mean that those who are younger, or those in good health, should not worry,” Winde said.
“Not only could you help spread the virus, and infect someone who is vulnerable, you could also get seriously ill, or even die, as has been the case in rare circumstances.
“It is worth reiterating that we cannot avoid this virus - many of us will become infected.”