Ramaphosa gets to work as Covid-19 self-isolation ends

President Cyril Ramaphosa has ended a week of self-isolation which followed his positive test for COVID-19 on 12 December 2021 the minister in the presidency, Mondli Gungubele announced on Monday.

“The President thanks all South Africans and leaders and friends internationally who conveyed their good wishes during this period,” Gungubele said.

“In turn, the President wishes all persons infected with COVID-19 a safe and speedy recovery,” he said.

Gungubele said that Ramaphosa had returned to duty and would chair the final cabinet meeting for 2021 on Wednesday, 22 December 2021.

“President Ramaphosa repeats his call for everyone in the country to stay safe by being vaccinated, wearing face masks, washing or sanitising hands frequently, maintaining a social distance and avoiding gatherings,” Gungubele said.

Ramaphosa tests positive during Covid-19 fourth wave

The news that Ramaphosa had tested positive for Covid-19 came as the fourth wave of the pandemic swept the country in recent weeks. 

On Friday 17 December Health Minister Joe Phaahla announced the the country’s nine provinces were now all in the grip of the fourth wave of Covid-19. The number of infections has also surpassed the peaks of the previous waves.

“The number of cases in the fourth wave has exceeded the peaks of the third, the second and the first waves, with the weekly average of new infections of more than 37 per 100 000 of the population,” he said.

“At the peak of the third wave it was at 33 per 100 000, while the second wave had 32 per 100 000 and the first wave was even lower in its peak, at 21 per 100 000 of the population in terms of new infections on an average weekly basis,” Phaahla added.

However, there are now reports that Covid-19 hospitalisation numbers are peaking in Gauteng.

SA data modeller, Sugan Naidoo, tracked how Gauteng’s hospitals are performing. Naidoo’s data showed that two weeks ago, new hospitalisations had soared by over 300 people in one 24-hour cycle. However, in recent days, the hospitalisation numbers have been in the low hundreds, or double digits.