Update on the coronavirus by Premier Alan Winde

31 May 2020

As of 1pm on 31 May, the Western Cape has 9516 active cases of COVID-19, with a total of 21 103 confirmed cases and 11 099 recoveries.

Sub Districts Cape Town Metro: 

Sub-districts: 

Unallocated: 2077 (673 recovered)

Additional data can be found on the dashboard at www.westerncape.gov.za/coronavirus.

The Western Cape has recorded an additional 16 COVID-19 deaths-bringing the total number of deaths from the virus in the province to 488. We send our condolences to their loved ones at this time.

Since the lockdown began, the Western Cape Government has been hard at work to ensure expand and prepare our provincial healthcare system and to put systems in place to reduce the spread. As part of our planning, we have constructed an 850 bed hospital at the CTICC and work is underway on a 300 bed facility at Brackengate. 

In Khayelitsha, Medicins Sans Frontiers, working in collaboration with the provincial Department of Health, is close to completion on a 60 bed facility which will provide an extension of the care offered at the Khayelitsha hospital just across the road. The Sonstraal Hospital in the Cape Winelands will provide an additional 150 beds. 

We have built 18 testing and triage sites across the province and secured millions of rands worth of PPE. We have developed a strategy to target each of the hotspot areas in the province. This strategy is being implemented across government departments and in partnership with local government, law enforcement and the private sector. 

We have partnered with taxi operators to create the Red Dot Taxi Service, which transport healthcare workers to and from work, and will transport residents to our quarantine and isolation facilities. 

We have identified a number of quarantine and isolation facilities, providing thousands of beds. Among them, a 300 bed facility donated by Old Mutual.

These endeavours have not been simple to achieve however they have been made possible by the hard work and commitment of all of our government departments and our frontline health care workers. 

At the heart of everything that has been done has been partnership- between all three levels of government, between government and the private sector and between government and generous NGOs, and donors who have all played a major part in where we are today.

But with the peak of the virus expected at the end of June/ beginning of July- our work is far from over. We still face numerous challenges and we will continue to work day and night to ensure that we are able to provide healthcare and humanitarian relief to those who need it.

Today, as we prepare for the start of alert level three, I appeal to the residents of the Western Cape to partner with us. Every decision we take has the ability to impact how the curve will look in the Western Cape and I am asking every single person to make decisions that will keep them safe and well, that will protect their loved ones, that will help us protect the vulnerable and ultimately, help us to save lives.

For vulnerable groups:

Data from around the world and from our own experience here in the Western Cape shows that people over the age of 55, and those with underlying medical conditions like diabetes, hypertension. heart, lung and kidney disease and obesity have a greater risk of becoming seriously ill or dying from COVID-19. It is imperative that people in these groups continue to take the lockdown very seriously. People in these groups must remain at home and continue to take the necessary precautions to ensure that they remain safe under alert level 3.

The Western Cape Department of Health has put in place a medicine delivery system for stable, chronic patients. Community Healthcare Workers, in partnership with Uber will deliver medicine to patients' homes so that they do not have to go to a medical facility and wait in queues to fetch medication.

The Western Cape Government's testing strategy currently favours healthcare workers, and vulnerable groups. If you feel unwell, or are experiencing any of the common symptoms such as a fever, cough or a sore throat, stay at home and call the provincial hotline on 021 428 4102 for further guidance on what steps to take. 

For employers:

Many businesses will re-open tomorrow and many more people will return to work. In the Western Cape, we have seen a number of infection clusters occur in essential workplaces which were operational during alert levels five an four. Business owners and management must take responsibility to ensure that they are protecting their staff and their customers. This includes ensuring that the workplace is regularly sanitised and that proper hygiene measures such as hand washing, and sanitizing are in place and that the appropriate protective gear is provided for the situation. Physical distancing must also be observed at all times- whether it be in how an office space is configured, or the number of people allowed into a store, or public space at a time. Employers who have staff who fall into the risk groups must make arrangements to ensure that they are sufficiently protected.

-Businesses that need to report an infection can now do so by filling in this form: https://coronavirus.westerncape.gov.za/reporting-covid-19-workplace

-Businesses not complying with the regulations should be reported to the Department of Labour or using this online form: coronavirus.westerncape.gov.za/reporting-covid-19-workplace

For those returning to work- please ensure that in everything you do- safety precautions are top of mind. This includes regular handwashing, keeping a physical distance and taking the appropriate measures when you return home, especially if you live with someone in one of the risk groups. 

If you travel to work using public transport, the Western Cape Government's Department of Transport and Public Works has created a reporting mechanism to report unsafe vehicles. 

-Residents using public transport can dial *134*234# from their mobile phone to report overfull minibus, midibus, metered or e-hailing taxis, drivers who are not wearing masks, or taxis not supplying hand sanitisers on board. 

Where people encounter unsafe business practices or public transport, we urge them to report it and help to stop the spread.

For individuals:

The alert level 3 regulations represent a considerable relaxation of the rules but they still place a number of restrictions on our movement. Visiting with family and friends, exercising in groups and attending large gatherings is still forbidden. We understand that many people miss their families and friends tremendously and would like to see them but the risk of potentially infecting a loved one, is a high price to pay. 

Internationally and at home, we have seen how large gatherings have contributed to the further spread of the coronavirus and must therefore be avoided at this time. 

As more sectors of the economy start to open up and more people return to work- we will naturally see more people moving around. When outside of your home, ensure that you are always wearing you mask, in conjunction with regular hand cleaning and social distancing. 

Alcohol sales will also resume as from tomorrow and we appeal to residents not to rush out and stand in long queues where social distancing cannot be maintained, in order to buy alcohol. We also call on residents to consume alcohol responsibly. Research and experience have shown that excessive alcohol consumption is responsible for many harms in South African communities including addiction, violence, domestic abuse and road accidents, which all have significant psycho-social consequences and which can put our hospitals and our health services under additional pressure.

Previous:

Update on the coronavirus by Premier Alan Winde

30 May 2020

As of 1pm on 30 May, the Western Cape has 8480 active cases of COVID-19, with a total of 19460 confirmed cases and 10 508  recoveries.

Sub Districts Cape Town Metro:

Sub-districts:

Unallocated: 853 (312 recovered)

Additional data can be found on the dashboard at www.westerncape.gov.za/coronavirus.

The Western Cape has recorded an additional 35 COVID-19 deaths-bringing the total number of deaths from the virus in the province to 472. We send our condolences to their loved ones at this time.

Back to school:

On Monday, learners in Grades 7 and 12 will return to school as part of a phased process. The Department of Education in the Western Cape has put in place a number of safety measures to ensure that learners and school staff are protected. We understand that for many parents, and teachers, there will be concern and anxiety associated with this return.

The Department in the province has spent R280 million so far to procure PPE and cleaning materials including 2.4 million face masks, 7013 thermometers which will be used to screen staff and learners and schools daily, as well as millions of litres of disinfectant, hand sanitizers and soaps for cleaning and personal hygiene. Measures have been put in place to ensure social distancing in schools and the department is engaging with learner transport to ensure that this is also conducted safely.

Measures have also been put in place to accommodate learners and staff with underlying illnesses which might make them more vulnerable to infection. 

The Department, principals, teachers and staff are all working hard to ensure that a return to school and to learning does not come with increased risk. During this time, we encourage parents to talk to their children about the return to school and how they can best protect themselves while at school. This includes discussions about regular handwashing, ensuring that distancing is practiced at all times, and that masks are worn correctly.

Resources and guidelines can be found at: https://wcedonline.westerncape.gov.za/back-school

Alert level 3:

On Monday, the whole country will also move to Alert level 3. We welcome the move because we are hyper-aware of the humanitarian crisis that has been a by-product of closing down large sections of the economy during the lockdown. The move to level 3 must be carefully managed which is why the Western Cape Government's targeted hotspot plan will continue in areas where infections are highest. This plan however requires the support and assistance of all residents of these hotspot areas and the rest of the province.

With the Western Cape peak of the virus anticipated for the end of June/ beginning of July- precautionary measures must be taken by every single person to protect themselves and their loved ones.

During a briefing last night by the National Health Minister Zweli Mkize and members of the Ministerial Advisory Committee, we heard that 20% to 50% of infections are asymptomatic- with the carriers unknowingly spreading the virus. They also indicated that each person could potentially infect two other people. These two people could be our elderly parents, or loved ones with underlying illnesses who have a much higher risk of becoming seriously ill. Our own behaviour can stop this from happening and can save lives.

This virus is going to be with us for several more months and we need to adapt and change our behaviour. The world has changed and 'business as usual" must become a thing of the past. We must be rigourous about hygiene and handwashing. Social distancing and wearing of masks must become second nature and we must do these things instinctively. This is how we will be able to flatten the curve and slow the spread of the virus.

Previous:

Media Release: Update on the coronavirus by Premier Alan Winde

29 May 2020

As of 1pm on 29 May, the Western Cape has active 8083 cases of COVID-19, with a total of 18350 confirmed cases and 9830 recoveries.

Sub Districts Cape Town Metro:

Sub-districts:

Unallocated: 588 (264 recovered

Additional data can be found on the dashboard at www.westerncape.gov.za/coronavirus.

The Western Cape has recorded an additional 34 COVID-19 deaths-bringing the total number of deaths from the virus in the province to 437. We send our condolences to their loved ones at this time.

Recoveries:

The Western Cape now has over 1700 more recovered patients than active COVID-19 infections in the province. While we are pleased that nearly 10 000 people have now beaten this virus, we must not become complacent.

The Western Cape’s new scenario planning has indicated that we expect to experience our peak at the end of June or beginning of July. At this peak, these models indicate that we will require 7800 hospital beds at our peak and 9300 people could die. The Western Cape has worked hard to prepare its systems in line with our initial projections based on available evidence at that stage, which predicted a lower demand on our healthcare services. We will now look at all of the available options to us to determine how best to further strengthen our health systems response and will communicate these soon.

Changing behaviour to save lives:

The biggest determining factor in how the Western Cape pandemic proceeds is the behavior of individuals. The Western Cape Government will take decisions with the best interests of the people of this province at heart, but how we all act now will help to save lives.

On Monday, the whole country will move to alert level 3. Regulations will be more relaxed but we absolutely must not become complacent. We cannot view this as a return to the way things were. In fact, the move to alert level 3 requires all of us to work even harder to protect ourselves and our loved ones.

For those who are in the high risk groups- being over the age of 55 or with an underlying illness- it is most important that you continue to stay at home unless it is absolutely necessary to go out. Businesses who employ people in these groups must find ways to allow them to work from home or take additional precautions to keep them safe during this time.

As more sections of the economy open up, public spaces will become busier and more people will be outside of their homes. We all have to take responsibility and ensure that we are taking all the necessary steps to stay safe. Hand washing, hygiene, keeping a distance of at least 1.5 metres from any other person, and correctly wearing your clean, cloth mask are simple steps that can have a big impact.

Businesses, schools and places of worship that will be re-opening under alert level 3 must ensure that they are properly prepared, that they are strictly enforcing the rules and that they are advocates for the safety of their clientele, believers and learners’ safety at all times.

Issued by the Office of the Western Cape Premier, 29, 30, 31 May 2020