Nelson Mandela Bay Covid-19 cases continues to rise

The number of Covid-19 cases in Nelson Mandela Bay has risen to 30.

Eastern Cape health MEC Sindiswa Gomba confirmed the jump on Thursday morning.

The number in the metro increased by 13 from the previously reported cases.

On Wednesday, health minister Zweli Mkhize confirmed cases in SA had risen to 1,845.

Of those, 45 were in the Eastern Cape, he said.

“Most of the new cases are somehow linked to the funeral from three weeks ago,” Gomba said, referring to the funeral of a nurse in KwaDwesi in March.

“You have people who attended the funeral coming forward and people who had contact with those at the funeral also testing positive.

“That funeral did not adhere to the regulations from the church to the family, which is why numbers in the metro increased,” Gomba said.

On Wednesday she said 400 people who had attended the funeral had been traced.

She also urged anyone who had attended the gathering to go and get tested.

Gomba revealed that the correctional service official from East London who had  tested positive for Covid-19 was also linked to the funeral.

Known Covid-19 cases in the province now stand at:

• Nelson Mandela Bay 30
• Sarah Baartman District Municipality  5
• Amathole District Municipality  2
• Buffalo City Municipality  7
• Chris Hani Municipality  1