POLITICS

Eleven Covid-19 deaths in WCape – Alan Winde

Premier says 531 patients hospitalised with disease, with 108 of these in ICU or high care

Media Release: Update on the coronavirus by Premier Alan Winde

8 October 2020

As of 1pm on 8 October, the Western Cape has 2242 active COVID-19 infections with a total of 111 321 confirmed cases and 104 839 recoveries.

Total confirmed COVID-19 cases

111 321

Total recoveries

104 839

Total deaths

4240

Total active cases (currently infected patients)

2242

Tests conducted

558 411

Hospitalisations

531 with 108 of these in ICU or high care

Cape Metro Sub-districts:

 Sub-district

Cases

 

Recoveries

Western

9826

 9221

Southern

10028

 9365

Northern

6934

6573

Tygerberg

13644

 12930

Eastern

10446

 9877

Klipfontein

9334

 8682

Mitchells Plain

8764

 8283

Khayelitsha

8417

 7970

Total

77393

72901

Sub-districts:

 District

 Sub-district

Cases

Recoveries

Garden Route

Bitou

634

599

Garden Route

Knysna

1565

1504

Garden Route

George

3638

3431

Garden Route

Hessequa

329

308

Garden Route

Kannaland

126

113

Garden Route

Mossel Bay

2414

2288

Garden Route

Oudsthoorn

1473

1330

Cape Winelands

Stellenbosch

2127

2012

Cape Winelands

Drakenstein

4440

4196

Cape Winelands

Breede Valley

3489

3339

Cape Winelands

Langeberg

1173

1103

Cape Winelands

Witzenberg

1641

1542

Overberg

Overstrand

1639

1584

Overberg

Cape Agulhas

296

277

Overberg

Swellendam

356

333

Overberg

Theewaterskloof

1197

1144

West Coast

Bergrivier

465

416

West Coast

Cederberg

168

163

West Coast 

Matzikama

590

463

West Coast

Saldanha Bay Municipality

1426

1328

West Coast

Swartland

1643

1533

Central Karoo

Beaufort West

774

682

Central Karoo

Laingsburg

141

132

Central Karoo

Prince Albert

34

30

Unallocated: 2146 (2078 recovered)

Data note: It is not always possible to check and verify that the address data supplied for each new recorded case is correct, within the time frames required to provide regular and timely updates. This means that in some instances, cases could be allocated to the wrong sub-districts. We are working with the sub-districts to clean and verify the data and where errors are picked up locally, cases will be re-allocated to the correct areas. 

The Western Cape has recorded an additional 11 deaths, bringing the total number of COVID-19 related deaths in the province to 4240. We send our condolences to their families and friends at this time.

Allowing safe international leisure travel will help to kickstart the economy:

Earlier today, Cape Town welcomed the first Lufthansa flight from Germany since the reopening of international travel. Germany is one of our key source markets for international travel and is one of our only major source markets who are currently allowed into the country under the travel restrictions.

We welcome all of the travelers on board this flight and wish them a safe stay in our province. The resumption of international travel is important for the Western Cape's recovery, as the tourism and hospitality contribute significantly to job creation in the province. The hard lockdown, and the travel restrictions in place over the past six months, have had a devastating impact on the sector, with thousands of people losing their jobs. 

It is for this reason, that Minister of Economic Opportunities and Finance, David Maynier has written to the national government regarding the risk based approach to travel, which allows business travelers from high risk countries to enter the country, but not leisure travelers. With many of our key tourism source markets currently on the "no-fly" list, the Western Cape's tourism industry will continue to be negatively impacted.

Minister Maynier's full, detailed submission which proposes doing away with categorising countries according to risk, and implementing a number of safety protocols including the requirement for a PCR test not older than 72 hours old, travelers downloading the Covid-19 app, and the establishment of dedicated testing facilities inside airports should travelers display symptoms,  is available to read here: https://www.westerncape.gov.za/news/our-proposed-approach-allow-all-international-travellers-negative-pcr-test

The Western Cape Government has been working hard for several years to grow our tourism offering and to create an enabling environment for the sector to create jobs. Air Access, an initiative of the Western Cape Government, the City of Cape Town, Wesgro, Cape Town Tourism and ACSA, has been hard at work for several years, growing the number of direct international flights into Cape Town. The Lufthansa flight today was made possible through the Air Access project in 2016. This is just one of the significant strides made in growing the route network across the globe, and we must do everything we can to protect the gains we have made in this regard- and ensure that people are able to travel safely- whether it is for business or for leisure travel.

Issued by Western Cape Office of the Premier, 8 October 2020