Update on the coronavirus by Premier Alan Winde

12 November 2020

As of 1pm on 12 November, the Western Cape has 3624 active Covid-19 infections with a total of 119 141confirmed Covid-19 cases and 111 087 recoveries.

Cape Metro Sub-districts:

Sub-districts:

Unallocated: 2129(2007 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 additional 15 deaths, bringing the total number of COVID-19 related deaths in the province to 4430 . We send our condolences to their loved ones at this time. 

Garden Route bushfires: 

Over the past seven days, the Western Cape has seen a 20% increase in the number of new Covid-19 cases-primarily driven by increases being recorded in the Garden Route District. We are particularly concerned about the increase in the number of cases in George, Knysna and Bitou, where the test positivity rate is around 32%.   

Our hotspot teams are working closely with health teams, the municipalities, environmental health officers, law enforcement and SAPS in order to manage and contain the spread of infections. We have also targeted communication to the Garden Route- with SMS and social media messaging.  

As with previous bushfires in other areas of the province, we are working hard to manage this flare up and ensure that it does not spread further. 

I must appeal to residents in the Garden Route and across the Western Cape to make safe, smart choices to protect themselves and others at this time.   

In the bushfires that we have responded to over the past few weeks- relaxed behaviours have played a part in increased spread of infections. We must still wear our masks in public, regularly and thoroughly wash our hands and keep a distance. We also appeal to residents to avoid the 3Cs: closed spaces, crowded places and close contact.   

The Western Cape has also observed a slight increase in the number of hospitalisations in the province, and in the Garden Route. We currently have a total of 74 hospital admissions in the Garden Route (Covid positive and persons under investigation), with15 of these in critical care. 

Overall, our healthcare services platform is still managing well, even with increasing admissions for other healthcare concerns. Our rural hospitals are currently reporting 75% occupancy, and our metro hospitals have a 77% occupancy rate- of which only 4% are Covid-19 admissions.  

The Hospital of Hope at Brackengate has 42 patients admitted, and Sonstraal has one Covid-19 admission, and 12 admissions for TB, as the Western Cape Government is focusing on ramping up TB care services in the province. Our oxygen usage in the province remains stable at 35% of total availability. 

Testing update:   

The Western Cape continues to use the expanded testing criteria for testing and lab turn-around times have remained stable. In the week between 2 and 8 November, a total of 9167 tests were conducted in the province.  

I am also pleased to announce that rapid antigen testing is now available at the Cape Town International Airport for those travelers who have arrived without having had a Covid-19 test. This provides us with an additional surveillance tool and is well timed to coincide with the positive announcement last night that the international travel “red list” would be scrapped in favour of compliance with health protocols which include a negative Covid-19 test not older than 72 hours.  

Our hotspot management system has proven to be effective in identifying and managing flare ups where they occur. We also continue to monitor and track infection data using a number of surveillance methods, including wastewater testing.  

We call on residents and businesses to partner with us to ensure that we are able to effectively slow the spread of the virus in the province, in order for us to move forward, and focus on important aspects of our recovery such as jobs, safety and dignity and wellbeing. 

Issued by Western Cape Office of the Premier, 12 November 2020