According to the daily Covid-19 statistics, released by the office of the Health minister, Zweli Mkhize, the Free State has recorded 22 162 coronavirus cases in total, of which 14 198 are active cases, and which include 350 deaths. 

The vast majority of the cases remain in the largely populated Mangaung area. Last week, the Free State recorded an eyebrow-raising jump in its Covid-19 death toll, with 91 people succumbing to complications related to the virus. Since then, the death toll has continued to rapidly rise, having had more than doubled in the last week.

The province is also continuing to see a surge in infections that have overridden the province’s Central South African neighbour - North West. 

The Free State Health Department spokesperson, Mondli Mvambi, says the reopening of schools and mines in the Fezile Dabi and Lejweleputswa districts have been the main contributors to the higher case numbers. He acknowledges that there is, however, a backlog of tests at the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) as well. According to the latest provincial statistics, the provincial epicentres, Mangaung and Lejweleputswa, have each recorded 10 198 and 6 820 cases respectively. While the situation in the provincial hotspots appears to be getting dire, Mvambi says the Xhariep District has stabilised following confirmed cases in Bethulie. 

Mvambi adds the Free State is centrally located and is surrounded not just by other provinces including, North West, Northern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Eastern Cape but it happens to also be bordering the Kingdom of Lesotho. He says passersby “unknowingly carry the virus and pass it to locals through their interactions. 

"We have imported cases and exported cases of Covid-19”. Despite stating this, he says they discourage residents from casting blame on others for infections. The department has raised further concerns regarding the relaxed attitudes by residents to the coronavirus regulations, such as social distancing, the wearing of masks, and the regular washing and sanitising of hands. 

OFM News