DA welcomes KZN Cabinet about-turn on sharing Covid-19 data, calls for new isolation rules to be in line with regulations

20 April 2020

The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes yesterday’s long-overdue decision by KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Premier, Sihle Zikalala and his Cabinet to provide a comprehensive breakdown of Covid-19 infections, per district, within the province.

The about-turn comes after three weeks of pressure by the DA to reveal ‘hotspots’ within the province in a bid to increase awareness and highlight the seriousness of the virus.

While the DA welcomes the dissemination of this information we remain deeply concerned by the revelation that eThekwini is fast becoming the epicentre of Covid19 infections in KZN.

The Durban metro is home to the largest population in the province with many high-density housing schemes and numerous transit hubs. These conditions have clearly aggravated the spread of the virus and it is a great concern that such a high percentage of tests within the Metro are returning positive, compared to other areas in the province.

Of further concern is that the KZN Health Portfolio Committee - of which the DA is a member – is yet to receive any reports on the province’s field hospitals in terms of their locations, their readiness in terms of beds, catering and staffing. We have already seen shocking reports from Clairwood Hospital regarding problematic care and stale food. This is something which cannot be repeated and the DA will call for additional information regarding all facilities in a bid to ensure that all patients receive the best and most dignified care possible.

The DA also welcomes the Premier's clarity earlier today regarding the compulsory isolation of confirmed Covid19 cases. Yesterday's announcement of compulsory isolation for all cases created confusion and panic in many Durban communities. However, this morning, in a TV interview, Premier Zikalala and KZN Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu clarified that only cases that cannot self-isolated, or refuse and violate self-isolation regulations will be transferred to government facilities. This is in line with the State of Disaster regulations, which in addition requires a court order to enforce.

Despite the difficult situation that our province finds itself in, the DA still firmly believes that transparency from government is key. The sharing of information will allow all residents to know the risks and take the additional precautions needed to protect themselves and others. It is only through information that a true social compact can be formed to fight the high infection rate.

The DA urges all communities to respect and adhere to Lockdown regulations and to Stay At Home so that the chain of infection can be broken and the spread of this virus reduced.

Issued by RishigenViranna,DA KZN Spokesperson on Health, 20 April 2020