Update on the coronavirus by Premier Alan Winde

11 May 2020

As of 1pm on 11 May, the Western Cape has 3911 active cases of Covid-19, with a total of 5813 confirmed cases and 1796 recoveries.

Sub Districts Cape Town Metro:

Sub Districts Non-Metro:

Unallocated: 227

The Western Cape has recorded an additional four COVID-19 deaths-bringing the total number of deaths from the virus in the province to 106 . We extend our condolences to their loved ones at this time.

Western Cape cabinet approves Whole of Government Covid-19 hotspot strategy for the City of Cape Town:

The Western Cape Cabinet today approved the Whole of Government Covid-19 Hotspot Strategy for the City of Cape Town.

This plan sets out how the Western Cape Government will utilise and coordinate its various government departments together with the City of Cape Town in one unified response to Covid-19 hotspots within the City of Cape Town.

The Western Cape understands that a blunt, one-size-fit-all approach for the entire province, when some regions have few cases and others have high transmission, is neither sustainable nor effective. We need to be more flexible and innovative.

We have therefore adopted an evidence based, data-led approach to our pandemic response, that drills down below sub-district level, to understand the transmission of the virus within particular geographical areas.

What is a hotspot? These are areas where there is a high number of cases, and where community transmission is well entrenched and accelerating. A hotspot is where people live.

This is different from a cluster. A cluster is where the outbreak originated, which is a place of gathering, such as a supermarket or retail store.

Our response to hotspots, which involves slowing the spread of the virus, and protecting vulnerable people most at risk, requires the combined impact of our government and the City of Cape Town to make a real difference.

This targeted hotspot plan includes the following:

• Health response- including case management, community screening and testing and the appropriate referral for Quarantine and Isolation
• Economic response- including assisting and mapping businesses, ensuring social distancing in the workplace and places of economic activity, and the following of our protocols developed for the workspace
• Safety response- that includes the SAPS and WCG and City of Cape Town traffic deployment and law enforcement
• Food security and humanitarian response- that includes our Departments of Agriculture, Social Development and relevant City initiatives
• Places and Spaces response- that is led by the Department of Human Settlement and its interventions in informal areas in particular
• Transport and Public Response- that includes interventions with respect to movement of people, and public transport, amongst others.

Underpinning this all is a new phase in the communications campaign that focuses more strongly on achieving behaviour change, now that awareness of Covid-19 is high. It also leverages the roe of councillors, community leaders, and faith-based organisations.’

The full details of the plan will be presented to the media and public this week and details of when this will happen will be communicated soon.

Update on comorbidities data

Last week Thursday, I presented our first analysis of the deaths in the Western Cape. This was data collected as of Tuesday that week, when we had 64 deaths.

We revealed that significant numbers of people who had died had one or more comorbidities. Comorbidities are underlying health conditions such as Tuberculosis, HIV, and Diabetes.

Our health experts have studied further data provided by our hospitals, especially private healthcare facilities where people have died, as part of our continued rigorous data-led approach.

We can therefore further update the media that only 6% of known Covid-19 deaths in the Western Cape had no comorbidities. Over 65% of patients who died had more than 2 comorbidities.

I do want to make an important point here: while the above facts indicate that vulnerable groups are most at risk, this does not mean that those who are younger, or those in good health, should not worry. Not only could you help spread the virus, and infect someone who is vulnerable, you could also get seriously ill, or even die, as has been the case in rare circumstances. Every single person, regardless of age and health, should be part of our team effort to flatten the curve. It is worth reiterating that we cannot avoid this virus – many of us will become infected. 

Our role is to protect vulnerable people and slow its spread through our own personal behaviour choices, so that more people can receive treatment when they need it. Each of our actions now will determine whether lives will be saved, and whether our health system will cope. It is up to us all.

Business safety:

Today Minister David Maynier and I visited the Takealot Distribution Centre in Montague Gardens to see what measures they have put in place to ensure workplace safety and how e-commerce can play a role in flattening the curve.

As part of our focused hotspot interventions, we are looking at the role that business plays in keeping their employees and their customers safe. 

The Western Cape Government has developed protocols and guidelines for business which are aimed at reducing infections. By implementing strict social distancing and hygiene measures, businesses can prevent cluster infections at the workplace, which could contribute to hotspot formations when they leave the workplace and go home to their respective communities.

We appeal to all of those employees going to work everyday, to ensure that they are taking extreme care themselves- including regular handwashing and hygiene measures, social distancing at all times, and wearing a clean, cloth mask. If they do not feel well, it is imperative that staff stay home to avoid further infections in the workplace.

We've seen how businesses, both large and small have been harnessing technological advances to offer options that do not require people to go into a shop to buy what they need. E-commerce could play a role in limiting infections in shops and shopping malls while still allowing businesses to operate. It is important that e-commerce deliveries are also conducted in such a way that they are limit contact and risk for both the driver and for the package recipient.

Hospitalisation of COVID-19 patients:

Following the his visit at the weekend, some reports quoted national Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize out of context regarding hospitalisation of positive cases. Dr Mkhize has clarified his statements and we wish to re-iterate that only those who test positive who require medical care, will be placed in hospital facilities. Our data suggests that 90% of people infected, will not require hospitalisation. All positive cases must be isolated. 

Those who test positive for COVID-19, who are not able to isolate at home, will be placed in specific isolation facilities which the Western Cape Government has been using up until now. These facilities are not medical or health care facilities, but allow for people to complete their 14 day isolation period safely. We are also currently exploring additional facilities in order to expand our isolation and quarantine options, in order to cater for increased demand when we reach the peak of infections.

Picture captions:

1) Premier Alan Winde and Minister David Maynier on site at Takealot's Montague Gardens Distribution Centre today.

2) Premier Winde has his temperature read as one of several workplace safety measures in place at Takealot.

Issued by the Western Cape government, 11 May 2020