sihle zikalala

KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Sihle Zikalala Photograph: Premier’s Office

COVID-19: KZN OFFICIALLY enters fourth wave, says Zikalala

Now KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and Gauteng are the only to provinces that have officially entered into the fourth wave of COVID-19

sihle zikalala

KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Sihle Zikalala Photograph: Premier’s Office

KwaZulu-Natal has officially entered the fourth wave of COVID-19 infections, after the province saw a massive spike in daily cases, Premier Sihle Zikalala has said.

Zikalala gave an update on the province’s handling of the respiratory illness on Sunday afternoon, 5 December 2021. He says KZN has also seen an increase in the number of COVID-19 hospitalisations.

“Two weeks ago, the province had a test positivity rate of 0.7% but as of today (Sunday), the test positivity rate has jumped to 12.7%. The province started receiving more than 100 positive cases a day from 26 November,” he said.

Zikalala says the eThekwini municipality is the hotspot in the province and accounts for more than 50% of the latest cases that were picked up.

“All of these developments indicate that we have now entered the fourth wave. The rate of hospitalisations has also increased, including patients who require ICU and ventilation. We can confirm that the vast majority of those patients who require treatment in ICU and ventilation are those who have not been vaccinated,” 

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala

ZIKALALA CONCERNED OVER SLOW VACCINATIONS

Premier Sihle Zikalala is now also worried that not enough residents in KZN are lining up to receive their COVID-19 vaccines. Zikalala says as far as the latest hospitalisations are concerned, the vast majority of patients who require treatment in ICU and ventilation are those who have not been jabbed.

“We are concerned about the slower uptake of vaccinations in KwaZulu-Natal. We want to plead with citizens of the province to understand that the vaccines are safe, effective and available for free to save you. The only way we stand a chance of defeating Covid-19 is by getting everyone vaccinated,” he said.

The districts of iLembe, Amajuba, Zululand, uThukela and King Cetshwayo have the lowest vaccination rates in the province.

“Further analysis of trends shows that while there is no significant increase in the number of deaths, people above the age of 60 have registered more deaths while there has also been a noticeable increasing in infection rate among those who are aged between 30 and 50,”

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala