Health professionals are baffled regarding the Mother City’s current COVID-19 situation. Despite the reopening of the economy paired with a large number of establishments welcoming patrons, Cape Town’s infection rate is plateauing.
Western Cape Health Department Head Keith Cloete says the positive change in the city’s COVID-19 situation could be due to a behavioral change that has set in in the area, but the positive change remains a mystery.
“The assumption is that there are a number of factors and the number of people who get infected was potentially overestimated in the original assumption. Also, there may have been a level of behavioural change setting in, and thus the differential patterns. But I am saying all these things as maybes. There are no definite answers, and the exciting part about this is that we really don’t know,” said Cloete during an update on the province’s pandemic response with Premier Alan Winde.
According to Cloete early signs of the burden of COVID-19 reducing its negative effects on hospitals and lower case mortality rates are already visible.
Even areas previously identified as hotspots are showing signs of stabilisation, with deaths due to COVID-19 dropping.
Active cases have significantly dropped from July 29 to July 30, and numbers dipped from 11 522 active cases to 10 915 active cases alone. Further decline in active cases is expected in the coming days.
Capetonians and residents of the Western Cape are being asked to stick to the rules now more than ever to ensure the positive change is not lost.
Also read: 24 more die of COVID-19 in Cape
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