IN an effort to curb the further spread of COVID-19 in Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, Acting Mayor Councillor Thsonono Buyeye has highlighted that the metropole would welcome stricter COVID-19 regulations as new evidence shows that free movement within the metropole is spreading the deadly virus.
“We urge our residents to stop the spread of the virus. No one else is causing this problem but us,” said Buyeye.
The metro’s infection rate is still on the rise with a total of 3 876 active cases recorded as at November 29.
Statistics on this date also showed that Uitenhage is leading with 514 active cases.
“Stricter restrictions are needed and we have submitted all our inputs to the Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize and other stakeholders. If we don’t curb the infections in the metro, the virus will spread uncontrollably across the country and we do not want that,” said Buyeye.
“With the festive season looming we are at a higher risk of having the virus all over the country if we do not enforce stricter regulations now.
“We received videos and pictures of irresponsible social gatherings of young people having parties in places such as Zwide and Motherwell.
“We are extremely worried because we really believe we have done everything we could do to educate residents about the seriousness of our situation.
“People are dying almost every day and it is in our hands. We should just this once sacrifice everything we are used to for the sake of saving people’s lives,” said Buyeye.
NMBM Disaster Management Chairperson Shane Brown said stricter regulations cannot be avoided as people move around during the festive season and the metro is one of the destination of choice.
“The more cases we see in other areas, the more there is a need for stricter regulations,” said Brown.
“Private hospitals have reached maximum capacity for COVID-19 treatment and while the public hospitals and the field hospital have capacity, there is not enough staff to treat patients owing to the same virus and other work related challenges.
“We urge residents not be part of large gatherings as this increases their chances of contracting the virus and spreading it to those who did not even attend such gatherings,” said Brown.
Issued: Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Communications Office
