- Rural areas of the Western Cape have seen a 63% increase in Covid-19 infections week on week.
- Small towns are proving increasingly vulnerable to the third wave of infections.
- Vaccines will be redirected to rural areas to ensure equal access, the health department says.
More Covid-19 vaccines are expected to be redirected to rural areas in the Western Cape in the coming weeks as the province aims for equitable access to its vaccination rollout programme.
Vaccinations in rural parts of the province were lagging behind those in the metros, Dr Keith Cloete, head of the Western Cape health department, said during a digital briefing on Thursday. To reduce the inequality, the department will redirect its vaccine supplies.
The province has vaccinated 338 879 people during the second phase of the vaccination rollout programme, and expects to receive around 150 000 more doses in the next three weeks.
The focus on rural areas comes at a time when cases are significantly increasing. Rural areas recorded a 63% week-on-week increase, compared to 44% in the metro.
The Overstand saw a week-on-week spike of 125% while the Cape Winelands saw an increase of 59% week on week.
The Garden Route saw a 54% week-on-week increase in cases, Cloete said. He added that hospitals in Mossel Bay and George were extremely busy.
Over the last few weeks, the province recorded a number of outbreaks in small towns, including Suurbraak, Buffeljagsrivier, Hawston, Murraysburg and Kliprand.
In Kliprand, the town of around 250 residents was quarantined after 30 cases were recorded.
Health officials also said Kannaland, Oudtshoorn, Saldanha Bay, Bergrivier, Malmesbury and Wesbank remained areas of concern.
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