Covid-19: Numbers drop once again Bitou, Knysna

KNYSNA | PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - After two weeks of rising numbers in new cases, Bitou has seen a drop in the number of weekly new cases while Knysna has continued its downward trend for the fifth straight week.

Despite positive signs of decreased figures throughout much of December 2020, in the last week of 2020 and the first week of 2021, Bitou exhibited growth in its number of weekly new cases.

This trend has stopped this past week, however, as 113 new cases were recorded between 6 and 13 January, 48 less than the week before. The number of new cases has continued to decrease in Knysna, as the subdistrict dropped by 16 cases to record 180 new cases in the past week.

As of today, 13 January, Knysna has recorded a total of 4 507 cases of Covid-19, of which 4 025 are recovered, 143 have died, and 339 are active cases.

The number of active cases has, along with the number of weekly new cases, been decreasing for the past five weeks in Knysna, and both are the lowest KPH has on record since 18 November.

There were, however, 12 new deaths this week – five more than the week prior. This sees the mortality rise from 3% to 3,2%, but on the upside, the recovery rate has also risen to 89,31% (from 88,40% on 6 January).

In Bitou, a total of 2 501 cases of Covid-19 has been recorded, of which 2 179 have recovered, 95 have died, and 227 are active. The number of active cases has seen a big drop from last week, falling by 46 from the 273 recorded on 6 January.

As with Knysna, both the number of active cases and the number of weekly new cases are the lowest since 18 November.

There were four deaths this week – two less than the week before. Bitou's mortality rate stays on 2,8%, and the recovery rate is up to 87,13% (from 84,76% on 6 January).