POLITICS

WCape developing vaccine roll-out strategy - Alan Winde

Premier says there have been 123 additional Covid-19 deaths in province

Update on the coronavirus by Premier Alan Winde

7 January 2021

As of 1pm on 7 January, the Western Cape has 37 288 active Covid-19 infections with a total of 226 908 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 181 814 recoveries.

Total confirmed COVID-19 cases

226 908

Total recoveries

181 814

Total deaths

7806

Total active cases (currently infected patients)

37 288

Tests conducted

1076860

Hospitalisations

3091 with 356 of these in ICU or high care

The Western Cape has recorded 123 additional deaths, bringing the total number of COVID-19 related deaths in the province to 7806.  We send our condolences to their loved ones at this time.

Additional data is available on the Western Cape Covid-19 data dashboard which also features active cases per sub-district, active cases per 100 000 and 7-day moving averages. Access the data dashboard here: https://coronavirus.westerncape.gov.za/covid-19-dashboard

Vaccine news:

We welcome the announcement by Health Minister Zweli Mkhize that 1.5 million vaccine doses have been secured for delivery by the end of February- ahead of the originally announced schedule.

Vaccines are part of the arsenal of tools we have available to us to fight Covid-19, and the commitment that 1.25 million healthcare workers will be prioritised will help us to protect our frontline.

The Western Cape Government is in the advanced stages of developing our vaccine rollout strategy, which will enable us to safely and efficiently distribute them as they become available.

We are also committed to continue working to ensure that we source the required numbers of SAPHRA approved vaccines for the Western Cape. As a province, we have identified healthcare workers and other essential services, as well as those at risk of serious illness or death because of their age or an underlying illness, as priority groups for vaccinations. We must ensure that we are able to vaccinate all of these groupings as early as possible in order to save lives.

We anxiously await further details on exactly when in January the first 1 million vaccines will be delivered, and how they will be distributed to provinces.

This news will be a significant morale booster for our healthcare workers, who have worked tirelessly for months on the frontlines. We trust that their best interests and the best interests of all South Africans will be top of mind for those officials who are entrusted with the processes of securing and distributing vaccines in South Africa.

While we await rollout of additional doses for the general population, I appeal to residents to continue to protect themselves and their loved ones by wearing your masks, washing your hands, keeping your distance, and avoiding crowded, enclosed spaces and close contact.

Healthcare worker update:

I would like to send a warm welcome to this year's medical intern cohort, who have started work at provincial hospitals over the past week. Since 1 January, 322 of 335 medical interns have been placed.

They join the public service and the frontline at a critical period in our Covid-19 response. They will be joining experienced teams of dedicated doctors, nurses and healthcare workers who are all focused on caring for the sick in the Western Cape.

The medical interns will join the new staff who have been appointed since the start of the year, and our people management teams continue to work flat out to appoint and place additional healthcare workers as they are needed. A total of 565 applications have been registered on our dashboard, and 495 offers have been made to date. Of these, 80 have already been appointed. 

We welcome all the new staff to the frontline and thank them for their service. 

Previous:

Update on the coronavirus by Premier Alan Winde

6 January 2021

As of 1pm on 6 January, the Western Cape has 37 984 active Covid-19 infections with a total of 224 262 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 178 595 recoveries.

Total confirmed COVID-19 cases

224 262

Total recoveries

178 595

Total deaths

7683

Total active cases (currently infected patients)

37 984

Tests conducted

1069544

Hospitalisations

3225 with 343 of these in ICU or high care

The Western Cape has recorded 154 additional deaths, bringing the total number of COVID-19 related deaths in the province to 7683.  We send our condolences to their loved ones at this time.

Additional data is available on the Western Cape Covid-19 data dashboard which also features active cases per sub-district, active cases per 100 000 and 7-day moving averages. Access the data dashboard here: https://coronavirus.westerncape.gov.za/covid-19-dashboard

Visit to Mitchells Plain Hospital of Hope:

Earlier today I had the opportunity to visit the Mitchells Plain Hospital of Hope, where 200 intermediate care beds are being made available for Covid-19 patients.

The first 100 of these beds have been activated, and I was also able to see progress on the next ward which is due to open next week. A fourth ward will be completed the week after that.

I also had an opportunity to address some of the healthcare workers there and thank them for the incredible work that they are doing. 

In addition to caring for COVID-19 patients, the multidisciplinary team has also been hard at work ensuring that patients who had previously been in the Aquarius ward were placed in appropriate care in other facilities, setting up the remaining wards and appointing additional healthcare workers.

This facility was set up in just nine days, in the existing Aquarius wards. Each bed has been fitted with an oxygen point, and oxygen storage tanks have been placed on site. 

Infection control measures have also been put in place: sufficient stocks of PPE are available for frontline workers,  curtains in the wards have been replaced with reflective film on the windows to filter light instead, and catering will be done at the on-site kitchens and meals served in disposable containers.

I was also pleased to hear, that like in our other Hospitals of Hope, wifi is available for patients to video call with loved ones. This is important as visitors are not allowed in Covid wards and having a connection with family and loved ones is so important during these difficult times.

In addition to doctors and nurses, the wards will also have social workers, physiotherapists and dieticians to care for patients physical and psychological wellbeing.

I am deeply grateful to all of the people who have played a part in making this facility possible, thus ensuring that we are able to provide beds and care as we approach the peak of infections in the metro region.

The facility has already admitted over 60 patients since becoming operational on January 1, and I wish all of those who are currently admitted there, and all of those who pass through its doors well on their road to recovery.

Issued by the Office of the Western Cape Premier, 6-7 January 2021