Media Release: Update on the coronavirus by Premier Alan Winde

7 July 2020

As of 1pm on 7 July, the Western Cape has 16 958 active cases of COVID-19, with a total of 71 272 confirmed cases and 52 175 recoveries.

Sub Districts Cape Town Metro:

Sub-districts:

Unallocated: 6170 (3332 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 40 deaths, bringing the total number of COVID-19 related deaths in the province to 2139. We send our condolences to their loved ones at this time.

Return to school:

Yesterday, Grades R, 6 and 11 returned to school in line with the national Department of Basic Education’s planning.

We understand that for many parents and learners, this is a daunting time and we understand that there is an element of fear and concern. The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has put in place a number of safety measures to ensure that learners are able to return as safely as possible and that teachers and school staff are safe.

The WCED has spent R450 million so far on cleaning materials, soaps, sanitizers and masks to prepare schools for the phased return of learners to schools, and developed a comprehensive set of guidelines including on how to manage positive cases at schools.

For many learners, the return to school creates a safe space. It also allows for learners to access the school feeding scheme which provides them with nutritious meals that they may not be able to access at home. Most importantly however, those who are most affected by the closure of schools are our poorer learners who may not have access to e-learning resources at homes and those who have parents working on the front line, who cannot home school their children at this time.

We encourage parents to have age-appropriate conversations with their children at this time, to understand their anxiety and to equip them with the knowledge and tools to keep themselves safe, both at the school and elsewhere outside of the home.

Those parents who have concerns about sending their child to school can apply for an exemption. This however requires parents to take responsibility to oversee their child’s learning at home and to collect and drop off the child’s work at the school. Application to do so can be done through the school.

Surface cleaning:

Coronavirus spreads through respiratory droplets. These droplets can be spread through sneezing and coughing, but also by touching our faces and then touching surfaces.

This is why it is important that we make a conscious effort to not touch our faces.

Regularly wash or sanitize our hands

And clean surfaces which we touch regularly, in our homes and in workplaces.

Virus droplets can adhere to surfaces like door handles, light switches, counters, desks and basins.

It is therefore important that these surfaces are regularly cleaned, either with soap and water, or bleach and water to kill the virus droplets.

It is also important that we wash or sanitize our hands after touching surfaces in high traffic areas like on public transport or in public transport interchanges, supermarkets, elevator buttons, escalators, and shared spaces in offices and workplaces. Phones and electronic devices which we touch frequently should also be cleaned regularly.

Regular cleaning of surfaces becomes even more important when you are self-quarantining or self-isolating in a home that you share with other people. People who are COVID-19 positive, or experiencing symptoms should clean surfaces in shared areas like bathrooms and kitchens, as well as frequently touched surfaces in order to protect those living with them.

If this is not possible, quarantine and isolation facilities are available in the province, where those who are COVID-19 positive, or who need to quarantine, can safely and comfortably do so. These can be accessed by contacting our hotline on 021 928 4102.

Issued by Western Cape Office of the Premier, 7 July 2020