Update on the coronavirus by Premier Alan Winde

28 December 2020

As of 1pm on 28 December, the Western Cape has 38 881 active Covid-19 infections with a total of 196 474 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 151 261 recoveries.

The Western Cape has recorded 122 additional deaths, bringing the total number of COVID-19 related deaths in the province to 6332.  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

​We must all work to slow the spread of Covid-19 in the Western Cape:

Over the weekend, the Western Cape surpassed the mark for 1 million Covid-19 tests conducted in the province (both public and private sector) since the start of the pandemic. Testing is an important tool in the management of this virus, but it can never give us a complete picture of the situation. Testing must always go hand in hand with personal responsibility, infection prevention strategies and quarantine and isolation in order to have the most significant impact on slowing the spread of the virus.

As it currently stands, the proportion of tests that return a positive result in the province is above 45%. This is higher than the proportion recorded during the peak of the first wave and is very concerning to us.  We have also recorded more active cases and more hospitalisations in this second wave, than we did at the peak of the first.

The province, has since March, recorded almost 200 000 Covid-19 cases. While the vast majority of these have been able to recover, many have become seriously ill and required hospitalisation. Over 6300 people have now lost their lives to this virus in the Western Cape. We must all do everything we can to slow the spread of Covid-19, and to save lives.

You can do this by: avoiding large crowds of people and gatherings, ensuring that when you do go out, that you are wearing a mask, practicing social distancing and washing your hands regularly. Avoid crowded places, confined spaces and close contact. 

If you are experiencing symptoms such as a fever, sore throat, a cough or a loss of smell or taste, you must quarantine yourself and avoid contact with others until you are able to be tested. If you test positive, you must remain in isolation for a period of ten days from the onset of your symptoms so that you do not infect anyone else. If at any stage during your illness you experience trouble breathing, you must seek medical attention.

Due to the high demand for testing in the province at the moment, we have introduced a risk adjusted testing strategy in the Cape Metro region in order to ensure that testing is reserved for situations where there is the most risk.

The new testing criteria for the public sector in the Cape metro only, includes:

• People with coronavirus symptoms admitted to hospital.
• People with coronavirus symptoms, who reside in large, group, confined spaces (old age homes, care homes, prisons etc)
• People with Covid-19 symptoms and who are at high risk of severe disease including those over 45 years old, and those with one or more of the following co-morbidities: diabetes, high blood pressure, heart, kidney or lung disease, cancer, TB and HIV (and not on ARV treatment)
• Pre-operative testing of asymptomatic patients awaiting surgery
• Natural deaths at home, where coronavirus symptoms were experienced prior to death
• All healthcare workers with Covid-19 symptoms and healthcare workers who are in quarantine and asymptomatic at day 7 (in order that they can return to work).
• Those who have previously tested positive but have developed new symptoms should only be tested 90 days after their first PCR test.

In the rest of the province- anyone experiencing Covid-19 symptoms can still be tested.

Previous:

Premier Alan Winde update on Coronavirus COVID-19 on 24 December

24 Dec 2020

As of 1pm on 24 December, the Western Cape has 35 146 active COVID-19 infections with a total of 184 698 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 143 552 recoveries.

The Western Cape has recorded an additional 171, bringing the total number of COVID-19 related deaths in the province to 5 890, as of 6pm last night. However, the number of deaths has since reached 6000.  We send our condolences to their loved ones at this time. 

During this second wave the Western Cape is seeing unprecedentedly high numbers of COVID-19 related deaths. Poignantly, during this holiday period many families are mourning the deaths of the thousands of people who have died from COVID-19 in the past two weeks. This is yet another reminder to our residents that COVID-19 is not on holiday, it is still here, and it still kills. We need to protect each other wherever we are by adhering to safe behaviour. 

We will not be issuing the daily update on the 25th and 26th of December. Data will be available on the the Western Cape COVID-19 data dashboard also features additional data including 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(link is external)

​Christmas wishes:

I would like to wish all those Western Cape residents who will be celebrating, a blessed and merry Christmas.   

Traditionally, this would be a time for coming together for festivities and celebrations, but in this most unprecedented year, Christmas will be very different. While we may not have the opportunity to be with all of our loved ones at this time, let us embrace the spirit of the day, and spread kindness and love.  

I would also like to thank all of our frontline workers- doctors, nurses, healthcare personnel, police and law enforcement, emergency services and all of those who will be working over this period. On behalf of everyone in the Western Cape- we thank you for your service.  

I urge everyone to be safe this Christmas.   

You can do this by:  

• Ensuring that gatherings are small and shorter in time. 
• Taking your family lunch or dinner outside where the risk is reduced.  
• Wearing masks around others and keeping your distance.  
• Drinking responsibly and not drinking and driving. 
• Ensuring that those of highest risk of severe Covid-19 illness are protected. 

Issued by the Office of the Western Cape Premier, 24 and 28 December 2020