Gauteng needs more Covid-19 tests

20 April 2020

Gauteng needs to drastically increase testing for Covid-19 in order to take advantage of the present hard lockdown and enable the gradual lifting of restrictions to keep the economy going and save many people from starvation.

About 70% of all testing has been done in private laboratories for people who can afford medical aid and can self-isolate in their homes. These cases were largely from overseas travellers, but the second wave of cases are through community transmission that can only be picked up by massive public testing.

So far about 30 000 tests in total have been done in Gauteng, with 1906 tests done on 16 April. This needs to be ramped up urgently to at least 5000 tests a day, and preferably 10 000 tests a day.

There has been a recent upturn in reported Covid-19 cases in Gauteng which is only partially explained by increased testing. This is disturbing as we are now picking up cases that have occurred since the 26 March lockdown which is less effective in densely settled areas where social distancing is difficult to achieve.

The Gauteng Provincial Government needs to release daily the number of tests conducted, and should also give the number of cases in each sub-district rather than figures for entire cities. Johannesburg, for instance, has the most cases in Gauteng (660 on 18 April), but it would assist to know the figures in its 7 regions.

The lowest number of recorded cases are currently in Sedibeng and the West Rand, with 10 and 38 cases respectively.

We need better data to enable smart decisions on easing restrictions in Gauteng which can only be provided by mass testing and swift quarantining of those who are positive.

Gauteng Health MEC Bandile Masuku has stubbornly refused to provide sub-district information on the grounds that it causes stigma, but the world-wide experience is that such information should be given to alert the public to higher risk areas.

The provincial government should be providing daily reports of testing, tracing and treatment in each sub-district.

We are all in this together. Public cooperation is assisted with timely and accurate information so that trends and risks can be better assessed as we try to save as many lives and livelihoods as possible.

Issued by Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC, 20 April 2020