Here are the biggest COVID-19 hot-spots in South Africa right now [maps]
A resurgence of COVID-19 is now taking place in two of our provinces. Both the Eastern Cape and Western Cape have seen cases soar in recent weeks – but, for the first time, individual hot-spots have now been painstakingly mapped.
COVID-19 hot-spots in South Africa, December 2020
Eastern Cape
The data from the Eastern Cape – or, more specifically, Nelson Mandela Bay, is a deep dive into every sub-district and local neighbourhood near the coast. NMB is currently the worst-affected region for coronavirus in SA, and some areas are much worse off than others. According to the latest figures, things will get worse before they get any better…
- Uitenhage remains one of the most infectious hot-spots in the entire country, reporting over 500 cases per 100 000 people.
- KwaNobuhle, Motherwell, Despatch, and Walmer are all recording figures between 175 – 300 cases per 100k.
- The heart of the metro has a cluster of hot-spots: Kwazakhele, New Brighton, Bethelsdorp, Zwide, and Gelvandale are all on red alert.
- These ‘hot-spots’ surround areas with lower transmission rates, invariably meaning that more infections will be picked up soon.
Western Cape
Things down the N2 don’t look great either, with the latest update on the Cape Town Municipality painting a glum picture:
| Area | Active cases 14 days ago | Active cases seven days ago | Percentage increase |
| Eastern | 208 | 338 | 63% |
| Khayelitsha | 78 | 150 | 92% |
| Klipfontein | 148 | 217 | 47% |
| Mitchells Plain | 88 | 251 | 185% |
| Northern | 146 | 210 | 44% |
| Southern | 276 | 516 | 87% |
| Tygerberg | 226 | 367 | 62% |
| Western | 332 | 549 | 65% |
| Cape Metropole | 1 502 | 2 598 | 73% |
“Marked increases of 73% in new COVID-19 cases and 28% in new COVID-19 deaths over the seven-day period paints a clear picture why the Cape Metropole has been deemed as having established resurgence.”
“Subdistricts in the Metro which are of great concern such as Southern (87%), Mitchells Plain (185%) and Khayelitsha (92%) have recorded the greatest number of new cases recently. As we have seen during the first wave of infections, once community transmission is established, the situation can quickly deteriorate if not brought under control soon.”
Premier Alan Winde
Tygerberg, Western and South Suburbs, and Mitchells Plain are all areas of concern for the Western Cape Government. Khayelitsha has also emerged as a virus hot-spot, driving up community transmission 92% in areas like Harare and Mandela Park. The knock-on effect for the Eastern Suburbs may also be a source of danger.
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