The Western Cape is experiencing a COVID-19 resurgence, and the province’s Disaster Management Joint Operation Centre plans to enforce stricter regulations to help curb the spread.
Premier Alan Winde announced that there is an established COVID-19 resurgence in the Western Cape, primarily driven by the Garden Route and Cape metro. Hospitals in the Garden Route are now under strain as infections continue to rise.
On November 25, the Western Cape government announced that the Garden Route experienced a 117% increase in new COVID-19 cases and 96% increase in deaths over the last seven days, and urged residents to remain cautious and vigilant.
“After recording 1 282 new cases and 25 new deaths over the past seven days, all areas in the Garden Route are of great concern. As we have seen during the first wave of infections, once community transmission is established within communities, especially in the Garden Route as a prime tourist destination, the situation can quickly deteriorate if not brought under control soon,” reads a statement from the Western Cape government.
According to Western Cape Premier Alan Winde, the provincial health government is also concerned about the Cape Winelands, which is starting to record a concerning number of new cases.
The Overberg District, Central Karoo District and West Coast District are being closely monitored given their proximity to these hotspots.
Certain suburbs in the Cape metro show higher active caseloads. These include Bellville, Claremont, Delft, Dunoon, Grassy Park, Gugulethu, Hanover Park, Kuilsriver, Lentegeur, Lotus River, Macassar, Milnerton, Nyanga, Ottery, Parklands, Parow, Pinelands, Rocklands, Rondebosch, Sea Point, Somerset West, Strand, Tafelsig and Wynberg.
The spokesperson for the Western Cape Environmental Affairs Department James-Brent Styan said that the department will work with the South African Police Service to enforce stricter COVID-19 regulations across the province. This includes inspections of workplaces and recreation areas, as well as isolation and quarantine sites.
“This enforcement effort will be carried out in a coordinated approach across the province, led by the South African Police Service. We’ll be doing inspections of places of work, entertainment, public gatherings,” he said, according to EWN.
The public is also advised to report any non-compliance to the City’s Public Emergency Communication Centre on 021 480 7700 from a cellphone or 107 from a landline.
Also read: Garden Route hospitals under strain as virus resurges
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