Western Cape head of Health, Dr Keith Cloete, said that national and provincial experts were examining all the experiences of countries currently battling a second wave of coronavirus infections.
FILE: A professional healthcare worker wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) monitors a patient in a tent dedicated to the treatment of possible COVID-19 coronavirus patients at the Tshwane District Hospital in Pretoria on 10 July 2020. Picture: AFP
CAPE TOWN – The Western Cape Health Department is keeping a close eye on second waves of COVID-19 already hitting some countries.
Several European nations are seeing rising coronavirus infections for a second time, including the UK and France.
South Africa’s COVID-19 recovery rate stands at 90% and the authorities said that they were satisfied that the curve had flattened in the province.
Western Cape head of Health, Dr Keith Cloete, said that national and provincial experts were examining all the experiences of countries currently battling a second wave of coronavirus infections.
“What they’ve done, they’ve analysed all the factors that underlie the drivers of second waves from the international experience.”
He said that at this point they were preparing for a second wave.
“We would rather want to be overcautious than to be overconfident that it won’t happen, so we are erring on the side of caution.”
Cloete explained what they are doing to counter a potential second wave.
“Therefore our strategy that we currently embrace is to make sure that any sign of small outbreaks of COVID-19 need to be recognised early, contained early so that we can contain it as it happens.”
