As of midnight on April 8, the Western Cape has 510 positively confirmed COVID-19 cases, Western Cape Premier Alan Winde said in a statement.
“Today, the Western Cape surpassed the 500 case mark, and with every additional case we register, we increase the risk of a vulnerable person being infected. It is important that we all continue to take the necessary steps to ensure we protect ourselves and others. This includes regular hand washing, not touching your face, and abiding by the rules of the lockdown by staying home,” the Premier said.
Sub Districts Cape Town Metro:
Sub-district Cases
Western – 161
Southern – 129
Northern – 26
Tygerberg – 36
Eastern – 20
Klipfontein – 23
Mitchells Plain – 7
Khayelitsha – 5
Total: 407
Sub Districts Non-Metro:
District Sub-district Cases
Garden Route: Bitou – 5
Garden Route: Knysna – 13
Garden Route: George – 14
Garden Route: Hessequa – 5
Garden Route: Mossel Bay – 16
Garden Route: Oudtshoorn – 2
Cape Winelands: Stellenbosch – 16
Cape Winelands: Drakenstein – 6
Cape Winelands: Breede Valley – 6
Cape Winelands: Langeberg – 1
Overberg: Overstrand – 9
Overberg: Theewaterskloof – 1
West Coast: Saldanha Bay Municipality – 3
West Coast: Swartland – 2
Unallocated: 4
“We have 31 people admitted to hospital for COVID-19, with nine people receiving care in ICU,” Winde said. “By yesterday, a total of 3 930 people had been screened since the Western Cape rolled out community screening at the weekend. Of these, 258 people were referred for testing based on their responses to the screening questionnaire.”
The Provincial Department of Health is happy with the excellent uptake in Happy Valley with 1 055 people screened, and Mbekweni, with 509 screened. In Ilitha Park, 437 people were screened. In the Bo-Kaap, 408 people have been screened.
“Today, I had the opportunity to demonstrate the screening and testing process, with Dr Justin Standaar from the GreenPoint Community Clinic,” Winde added. “After answering the questions that form part of the screening, Dr Standaar performed two swabs- one from the top of my nasal passage, and another from my throat.”
There has been a lot of fake news around the safety of the test and what it entails. “Having now undergone it myself, I can say the test was slightly uncomfortable, being something I had never experienced before, but it was both painless and is 100% safe,” the Premier said.
“Fake news and misinformation around health news constitutes a potential threat to the public health and it robs people of vital information that can help them to get the best out of the health system. This is not the time for bad jokes nor a time to instill fear. I welcome the enthusiasm to screen and test despite recent fake news events. This has led us to expanding more sites to ensure that many people get to be screened and tested,” Provincial Health Minister Nomafrench Mbombo said.
Provincial government also welcomed the announcement by the national government that wine exports can resume, and the implementation of a Cape-wide emergency school feeding scheme. “I am also pleased to see that detailed protocols are in place to ensure that children are kept safe. These include children bringing their own food containers from home which are not touched by the staff, sufficient adult supervision, social distancing in the queues and ensuring that no more than 50 children come at a time. Children also do not eat at the school, but take their meal home,” Winde said.
“We also thank SAPS for their support, as they have agreed to patrol areas around schools where meals are being served.”
Picture: Western Cape Government