Media Statement: Update on the coronavirus by Premier Alan Winde- call for health professionals to volunteer

3 April 2020

Case update:

As at 00h01 on April 3, the Western Cape had recorded 418 COVID-19 infections.

Sub Districts Cape Town Metro:

Sub District Breakdown (Cape Town metro):

Sub Districts Non-Metro:

Unallocated: 4

Today, we have seen another increase in the number of people admitted to hospital- which now stands at 25, with seven receiving care in ICU.

As we start to see an increase in local transmission cases, we expect to experience additional pressure on our health facilities and health workers.

Call for Health Professionals to volunteer their services:

The Western Cape Government is announcing a call today for healthcare workers to volunteer in the effort to fight the Coronavirus in the province. We have over the past few weeks received numerous requests to volunteer and offers to help and we are now asking local medically trained personnel, to join our database for possible call up when needed. Globally, we have seen an outpouring of help and support in the fight against this virus, and it is our hope that our own residents will respond to our call with the same care and willingness to help.

Western Cape Health Minister, Nomafrench Mbombo said: “I am calling on skilled health professionals residing in the province and beyond the borders of the province, to volunteer and assist in the fight to stop the spread of COVID-19, in the Western Cape. This COVID-19 pandemic along with the pre-existing burden of disease are placing our facilities under tremendous pressure.

I call on all available health professionals to take up this opportunity to make a meaningful contribution and to assist in our response to this pandemic,” Minister Mbombo said.

Volunteer doctors, nurses and emergency medical service personnel who are NOT employees of the Department can help mitigate the additional pressures COVID-19 will be placing on our services, over the coming weeks and months.

Those interested in adding their support can register on the COVID-19 Volunteer Recruitment website:https://www.westerncape.gov.za/department-of-health/volunteer-recruitment-questionaire

Community screening:

The Western Cape Department of Health has identified 7 areas where community screening will begin from Monday.

In the Cape Town Metro sub-districts, these include:

Khayelitsha: Town2 and Ilitha Park (Monday)

Eastern: Happy Valley (Monday)

Western: Bo-Kaap (Tuesday)

Tygerberg: Bishop Lavis (Monday)

Klipfontein: Philippi (Monday)

In the non-rural districts:

Kwanonqaba, Mossel Bay (Monday)

Mbekweni, Cape Winelands (Monday)

Community screening is going to be an important tool as we work to stop the spread of Coronavirus in our communities, and we will be announcing new and additional sites for community screening as they are confirmed.

Our community healthcare workers will be identifiable by their uniforms and ID cards, and members of the public are advised to request the person’s credentials as part of rigorous safety precautions. We urge community members to welcome the Community Health Workers and to co-operate with them.

Visit from the National Health Minister:

Today, National Health Minister Zweli Mkhize visited the Western Cape, where we presented our provincial response to him and his team. We were able to demonstrate our GIS mapping system, case tracking and data management system which has informed our community screening and testing strategy, as part of our comprehensive health service response to Covid-19.

Minister Mkhize expressed his support for the province’s work in this regard as well as our whole of society approach to ensure that the response to Coronavirus is not just focused on health, but also addresses other important issues such as the economy, sanitation and food and hunger.

As the Western Cape Government, we are cognizant of the need for all levels of government to work collaboratively in order to ensure a comprehensive and effective response to stop the spread of the coronavirus.