All eyes are on Gauteng as it sees a dramatic rise in the number of Covid-19 infections, becoming the country’s epicentre for this virus.
In just two weeks, the number of infections has increased by a staggering 283%.
Here are some defining moments of Gauteng’s recent fight against the coronavirus:
A two-week surge
Two weeks go, on June 25, Gauteng had 28,746 cases. On Thursday, the province had 81,546 cases — a 283% increase.
On June 25 it had 149 deaths and on Thursday 515 deaths – 346% increase.
#COVID19 Statistics in SA as at 09 July. pic.twitter.com/s9RvpeETLF
— Dr Zweli Mkhize (@DrZweliMkhize) July 9, 2020
Province predictions
According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases’ modelling data, the number of deaths in Gauteng could potentially triple every two weeks.
Hotspots
A district breakdown of infections from Wednesday showed Johannesburg as the hotspot in Gauteng:
| Area | July 8 | June 25 |
| Johannesburg | 35,040 | 12,892 |
| Ekurhuleni | 16,626 | 5,377 |
| Tshwane | 12,216 | 4,059 |
| Sedibeng | 3,400 | 861 |
| West Rand | 4,827 | 1,758 |
Hospital influx
Private and state hospitals in Gauteng are currently treating 2,692 patients for Covid-19.
Gauteng under strain
Two weeks ago, experts warned that Gauteng was in the eye of the Covid-19 storm. Health care workers and hospitals were stretched as cases surged. Provincial health MEC Bandile Masuku said the province’s laboratories were overwhelmed and had a backlog of 30,000 tests.
Oxygen demand
Masuku said the need for oxygen in the province had surged due to an increase in Covid-19 cases. He said the demand was due to high admissions of patients who were in critical conditions and needing ventilators and oxygen.
Masuku said the province would seek to meet this demand by procuring more ventilators and oxygen supply and by opening more isolation sites to accommodate more people.
More nurses for Gauteng
On Tuesday, TimesLIVE reported that Mkhize said 300 more nurses would be moved to Gauteng to ease the pressure in intensive care units (ICU) and trauma units, which continue to be under pressure from cases of drunken driving, stab wounds and car accidents.
He also said that Gauteng Covid-19 cases were rising faster than any other provinces.
BY CEBELIHLE BHENGU
