Media Release: Garden Route Health Platform Update

For Immediate Release
14 August 2020

As of 14 August 2020, the Garden Route District has 7520 confirmed cases of Covid-19.

Cases 

Garden Route cases and recoveries per subdistrict.

Bitou 502 cases; 417 recoveries
Knysna 1197 cases; 1001 recoveries
George 2979 cases; 2525 recoveries
Hessequa 222 cases; 175 recoveries
Kannaland 75 cases; 55 recoveries
Mossel Bay 1754 cases; 1393 recoveries
Oudsthoorn 791 cases; 465 recoveries

The Garden Route has recorded 223 Covid-19 deaths.

Hospitalisation

From our latest available information, there are currently 170 patients admitted in public and private hospitals of which 41 are in High Care/ICU.

Community Testing and Screening

The approach to active Covid-19 case finding within the rural areas remain that of community testing and screening with a focus on people > 55 years and those with high risk (people with co-morbidities). To date 147 772 people have been screened of whom 1284 have been referred for testing.

Isolation and quarantine

People who cannot isolate or quarantine safely at home (risk to themselves or exposure risk to others), can be referred to an isolation or quarantine facility.

Isolation facilities are for patients who have been infected with the COVID-19 virus (with mild to moderate symptoms) where they can recover. Quarantine facilities are for those have been exposed and are awaiting test results. These facilities are safe, have been made as comfortable as possible and you will receive free transport, meals, and a laundry service. PetroSA (West Camp) is currently the only activated isolation and quarantine facility in the Garden Route. More facilities have been identified and will be activated, if and when the need arises or capacity is exceeded at PetroSA. We currently have 68 people at the West Camp facility.

Primary healthcare                                                                                                                                    

Our Primary Health Care platform is an important vehicle to support our health system, provide health services closer to the communities and prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed with services that can be provided outside of acute hospital settings. Although we advise patients to only visit their nearest clinic for essential services at this time; we remind parents and caregivers that services such as immunisations are still rendered. It is important to attend all your confirmed appointments. Services such as women’s health (family planning, antenatal and post-natal care), child health(immunisations) and TB, are still rendered. Stable chronic care patients must collect their chronic medicine at the chronic off-sites. Should you require guidance or advice around your current treatment or scheduled appointment, please contact your clinic/hospital.

Shielding the vulnerable

Persons over the age of 55 or have a chronic condition are at risk for severe COVID-19 illness and should take extra precautions to protect themselves by following these steps:

1. Avoid getting the virus by staying home, wear a mask (when you have to go out), wash hands regularly and disinfect surfaces
2. Look after your health by following a healthy lifestyle and take your medication regularly
3. Get help immediately if you do not feel well
4. If you develop COVID-19 symptoms, go for immediate screening and testing if required, do not delay

The Department has implemented an action plan for Diabetics (regarded as a high risk group) with COVID symptoms which includes expanding testing for diabetics and closer monitoring.

Next 100 days

The Department has identified the next 100 days as crucial to refocusing the health system and health services while still managing the pandemic with continued interventions to increase immunisation coverage, TB treatment and ART for HIV uptake.

5 ways to stay safe

We urge all citizens to remain careful in observing these precautions of hygiene and safety.

1. Wear your mask as all times when you leave your home
2. Keep you social distance from other (1.5m)
3. Do not touch your face
4. Wash your hands regularly with soap and water or hand sanitizer
5. If sick, stay home

Make sure you wear your mask when going out to protect yourself and others. Also remember that spitting is another means of transporting the virus. Do not spit on the ground.

The protection and wellbeing of all our people remains in our collective hands.

-END-

Nadia Ferreira
Principal Communications Officer
Garden Route and Central Karoo Districts
Western Cape Government Health
Town Clinic, Plettenberg Bay
Tel: 076 379 5423
Email: Nadia.Ferreira@westerncape.gov.za 
Website: www.westerncape.gov.za

Picture credit: iStock.com/ra2studio