Health Minister Zweli Mkhize says that South Africa is now experiencing the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. Mkhize says the country now meets second wave criteria that is formulated by scientists and modelling teams.

“It is also important to highlight that four provinces, that being, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu Natal, and Gauteng Province are the key drivers of this new wave,” says Mkhize.

South Africa has recorded 6 709 new coronavirus cases bringing the total to 828 598. “The majority of new cases today are from Western Cape (30%) followed by Eastern Cape (24%) then KwaZulu-Natal which accounted for 23%, and Gauteng accounted for 17%. The Free State, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and North West each accounted for 1% of new cases respectively while Northern Cape accounted for less than 1%.”

Mkhize says all MECs have been urged to prepare their respective provinces for a second wave.

” The key issues that we have raised are that the provinces need to ensure that testing turnaround times are as quick as possible to facilitate patient flow, assess bed capacity including recalling field hospital beds, attend to staffing and equipment needs urgently and to tighten up monitoring and evaluation and reporting to national department.”

Source: SABCNews