Media Release: Update on the coronavirus by Premier Alan Winde

24 June 2020

As of 1pm on 24 June, the Western Cape has 14 837 active cases of COVID-19, with a total of 54 835 confirmed cases and 38 433 recoveries.

Sub Districts Cape Town Metro:

Sub-districts:

Unallocated: 4371 (2266 recovered)

Data note:  As the province moves closer to the peak and the Department of Health is recording over 1000 new cases daily, it is not possible to check and verify that the address data supplied for each new 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. 

More data is available here: https://coronavirus.westerncape.gov.za/covid-19-dashboard

The Western Cape has recorded an additional 65 deaths, bringing the total number of COVID-19 related deaths in the province to 1565. We send our condolences to their loved ones at this time.

Delivering medication in communities:

Today, I accompanied some community healthcare workers in Langa as they delivered chronic medications to patients' homes. The Western Cape Government implemented this project in April to ensure that stable chronic patients could still receive their medication without having to go into healthcare facilities.

We have partnered with Uber, who pick up the medications from the centralised depot and drop them off in communities. Healthcare workers then go to each patient's home to deliver their medicines.

In Langa, the Department of Health partners with local NPO St Johns to deliver this service. The healthcare workers, many of whom are from Langa themselves, also help to conduct community screening and education on COVID-19 and they also conduct home visits to COVID positive patients who may not be reachable by phone.

Come rain or shine, these healthcare workers go out on foot each day, delivering an average of about 20 medication parcels each day. Today, I had the opportunity to accompany them as they delivered medicines to six homes. Most of the recipients I had the opportunity to meet today were elderly and so this service helps to ensure that we are protecting our most vulnerable citizens by reducing their need to leave their homes.

Many also expressed real appreciation for the service, which makes managing their chronic conditions safer and simpler during this COVID-19 period.

In Langa, 1295 medicine parcels have been delivered to date and between 1 April and 11 June, over 243 000 home deliveries of medication have been done in the Cape Town metro area. 

I would like to extend my thanks and appreciation to all of the community healthcare workers across the province who are out on the frontlines in their communities every day, helping to deliver a service that is really helping people in those communities.

Visiting businesses in Mitchells Plain:

Today, I also had the opportunity to visit Mitchell's Plain where I went to go and see some of the safety measures businesses have put in place to make them safer. While I was there, I popped into the Eve and Steve hair salon, to see what measures they have put in place since being allowed to open last week. The store had temperature screening, sanitizers, social distancing and compulsory mask wearing in place and I took the opportunity to get a haircut while I was there.

Allowing personal care businesses to reopen will have a real impact in communities as many people have been able to return to work, and start earning a salary again to support themselves and their families. 

The reopening of the economy and businesses must however be done with the strictest regard for safety and hygiene so that we can control the spread of COVID-19 at the same time.

Issued by Western Cape Office of the Premier, 24 June 2020