Update on the coronavirus by Premier Alan Winde

23 October 2020

Data note: We are currently experiencing technical difficulties which are resulting in a delay in the data being published on our dashboard. Our team is currently working to address this. Once updated, the data will be made available at: https://coronavirus.westerncape.gov.za/covid-19-dashboard

During the recovery speech I delivered in the Western Cape Provincial Parliament yesterday, I detailed the Western Cape Government's plans to fight TB. 

TB is one of the leading causes of death in this province but it is also treatable and we must focus on successfully identifying and treating those with TB.

I therefore announced a 90/90/90 strategy which aims to identify 90% of all TB cases and place them on treatment, find 90% of TB cases in vulnerable populations such as those living with HIV and to successfully treat 90% of all those diagnosed with drug sensitive TB.

This province has 3800 community healthcare workers, who over the past seven months, have played a major role in our Covid-19 community screening programme. 

Over this same period, we have seen the number of people attending our healthcare facilities for TB testing and treatment decline. In order to address this, we are now making use of these same community healthcare workers to conduct other screenings in communities and in people's homes to identify other illnesses such as TB.

We will also introduce new technologies to ensure that easy self-screening is possible and will use  data management systems to properly track our performance.

As we did with Covid, we will also adopt hotspot-focused, and behaviour change led approaches to prevent the spread of TB amongst those at risk.

I intend to use the Provincial Council on Aids, which I chair to further champion the battle against TB and I will support the Barcelona Declaration's intention of working towards the establishment of a new global parliamentary caucus to press for an urgent response to the TB epidemic.

The Western Cape Department of Health has invested in facilities, healthcare technology and systems for Covid, many of which can be used or adapted to prevent and treat other illnesses such as TB, going forward. 

The Western Cape Government is ramping up the delivery of other healthcare services so that people can access the vital healthcare they need, in a way that puts their dignity and well-being first. We believe that the lessons we have learned and the systems we have put in place during Covid-19 will help us to achieve this. 

UPDATE: 22 October 2020

As of 1pm on 22 October, the Western Cape has 3247 active Covid-19 infections with a total of 114 534 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 106 979 recoveries.

Cape Metro Sub-districts:

Sub-districts:

Unallocated: 2221(2091 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 number of tests conducted has shown a significant increase in today's update. This is due to the addition of historical testing data, as we work to review data and ensure its accuracy. These historical tests were largely negative and therefore do not impact our case numbers in any significant way.

The Western Cape has recorded an additional 7 deaths, bringing the total number of COVID-19 related deaths in the province to 4308. We send our condolences to their loved ones at this time.

Issued by Western Cape Office of the Premier, 23 October 2020