Covid-19 infections on rise in Nelson Mandela Bay townships

The number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Nelson Mandela Bay has risen to 17.

The latest confirmed cases are in Algoa Park and KwaDwesi, according to Eastern Cape health MEC Sindiswa Gomba.

The metro’s largest township, Motherwell, also recorded its first Covid-19 case while Zwide had two confirmed cases.

Gomba confirmed this and said the Algoa Park man had been tested at Livingstone Hospital.

“The man who tested positive for the virus tested at Livingstone Hospital is self-quarantined at home.

“The only person who’s quarantined in a facility in the metro is the retired nurse who’s at Livingstone Hospital. She is also getting better with her respiratory system improving,” Gomba said.

The number of confirmed infections in the Eastern Cape is 32.

According to health minister Zweli Mkhize there are now 1,749 cases nationally with 13 confirmed deaths.

Gomba said the cases in Motherwell and Zwide were related to the funeral of a nurse in KwaDwesi that took place nearly three weeks ago.

With Despatch registering its first case, Gomba said the woman had also attended a funeral in Port St Johns around the same time as the KwaDwesi funeral.

“The woman from Despatch also attended a funeral of a nurse in Port St Johns.

“Apart from that she is a close contact of the woman who is in ICU at Livingstone Hospital.

“The two funerals are similar in terms of the cluster of nurses who attended them, with some having worked overseas in places such as Dubai, Canada and the UK,” Gomba said.