Tomorrow,Western Cape Premier Alan Winde will hold a digital press conference over Microsoft Teams which will outline the Western Cape’s health systems preparedness with a focus on additional interventions, an update on the testing protocols and on the quarantine and isolation facilities in the province.
Premier Winde will be joined by Health Minister Nomafrench Mbombo, Minister of Transport and Public Works Bonginkosi Madikizela and their respective HODs.
Date: 4 June 2020
Time: 12pm (noon)
Digital platform: Microsoft Teams
Please confirm your attendance by 9am tomorrow and provide your name, surname, the name of your publication and your email address to be added to Microsoft Teams. We will provide you with a meeting invite to the briefing, upon your confirmation. Only those who have confirmed attendance will be admitted.
The Western Cape has recorded an additional 39 COVID-19 deaths-bringing the total number of deaths from the virus in the province to 601. We send our condolences to their loved ones at this time.
Premier Alan Winde on site at the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital for the opening of their testing and triage centre today
Red Cross Testing and Triage Centre:
Today, Health Minister Nomafrench Mbombo and I had the opportunity to visit the new temporary testing and triage facility at the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital. The facility provides a space where children entering the hospital for treatment can be screened or tested separately from the children already receiving treatment in the hospital.
The hospital has a dedicated ward for children who are deemed to be persons under investigation and will also admit a parent or caregiver who will be able to stay with while in the hospital.
The contractors who built the temporary testing centre have also sponsored some beautiful panels featuring colourful drawings and inspirational quotes in English, Afrikaans and isiXhosa, which help to make the space more child friendly.
The Western Cape Government has already built 18 testing and triage centres in the province in the first phase, with another 14 planned for the metro region and an additional 20 for our non-metro regions. These triage centres help to ease the pressure on emergency rooms, while also allowing a dedicated space for screening and testing to occur, away from the hospital’s day to day activities.
The Western Cape Government has taken the important decision to only test those who are at highest risk and most vulnerable of dying from Covid-19 infection in the Cape Town Metropolitan area,
This will allow us to get test results back from these vulnerable groups quickly so that we can ensure speedy interventions to save lives. This is our top priority.
This decision follows confirmation that the backlog of tests from the Western Cape at the National Health Laboratory Service grew to 27 000. We understand that other provinces are experiencing similar backlogs.
This means that someone who is seriously ill in hospital, or a health-worker, or someone who we know is at high risk of dying from Covid-19, may have to wait between 7 to 12 days for a result. This is simply not an option.
We have previously petitioned both President Cyril Ramaphosa and Minister Mkhize to address this backlog, and I am appreciative of efforts that they are taking to do so. I also understand the lack of test kits can be explained by global demand and subsequent limited supply to South Africa.
Nevertheless, until such stage as extra testing capacity is made available, this decision is the only remaining solution available to ensure early detection in those individuals who we know are highest risk of dying from Covid-19. It will also ensure greater protection for our healthcare-workers, who we need to care for our loved ones when they get very sick.
Indeed, if we can get a test back within 24 to 48 hours, we can ensure early treatment and if need be, hospitalisation, of those people who we know will deteriorate rapidly as the infection progresses. For some of our residents, it might be the difference between living and dying.
I fully understand that every single person who starts developing symptoms wants to get tested so that they know if they Covid-19. This gives you a level of calm and certainty. I assure you that this decision was not taken lightly and after careful consideration of the very serious testing challenges we face in South Africa.
I ask for your patience and understanding as we act decisively to save the lives the most vulnerable in our communities.
Who will be tested by the Western Cape Government?
You are admitted to hospital with Covid-19 symptoms;
You are over 55 and have Covid-19 symptoms;
You are of any age, have Covid-19 symptoms, and have one or more of these conditions:
Diabetes, hypertension or heart disease on treatment
Cancer on treatment
Tuberculosis on treatment
HIV with poor adherence to ARVs
Chronic lung disease on treatment (e.g. Asthma, Emphysema, Chronic Bronchitis)
You are a healthcare worker and you have Covid-19 symptoms
You live in a care or old age home and have Covid-19 symptoms.
What evidence is this based upon?
Both local and international data shows 90% of people who are infected with Covid-19 will not require hospitalisation.
10% of people who are infected will need healthcare treatment, with some of these patients requiring critical care.
Approximately 2% of known/confirmed cases have died.
Of those who die, 96% had one or more underlying health conditions.
Residents over the age of 55 are at higher risk.
The testing backlog in the Western Cape alone is 27 000. It could be as high as 100 000 for the country.
Some residents are waiting up to 7-12 days for their test results.
What do I do if I start feeling sick and I am not in one of the high-risk groups?
If you start developing symptoms, and you are not in one of these high-risk groups, you will not be tested by the Western Cape Government. You should assume you have Covid-19 and isolate to prevent the virus from spreading to others. You should isolate for 14 days from the onset of symptoms.
This means you must not leave your home, and you must limit contact with other people. This will stop the spread of the virus and protect vulnerable people from being infected.
For information on homecare and self-isolation, you can look at the following detailed information here:
You can also contact our dedicated hotline on 021 928 9102 for advice.
What do you do if you find it difficult to breathe?
In about 10% of cases, healthcare will be needed. If you have any difficulty breathing, you must seek urgent healthcare immediately.
Please seek medical assistance at your closest emergency facility or call an ambulance.
What happens if I live outside of the City of Cape Town?
The rest of the Province does not have such established and high rates of community transmission of COVID-19. The rural districts will continue to screen for COVId-19 cases in communities. All people screening positive for symptoms will be referred for testing (not limited only to vulnerable groups).
Does this testing strategy apply in the private sector?
No this applies to the public sector. Currently the private sector does not adhere to the same criteria.
What is a comorbidity?
Co-morbidity is the presence of one or more additional diseases or medical conditions occurring with a primary medical condition.
People with existing comorbidities are more at risk of being severely ill if they contract COVID-19.
The top three comorbidities per age group:
20 – 39 years (30% diabetes, 25% HIV, 20% Hypertension)
40 – 49 years (51% diabetes, 33% HIV, 28% Hypertension)
50 – 59 years (70% Diabetes, 63% Hypertension, 27% HIV)
60 – 69 years (74% Hypertension, 58% Diabetes, 8% HIV)
70 years and older (58% Hypertension, 46% Diabetes, 29% Chronic Kidney Disease)
High-risk comorbidities include:
Diabetes
Hypertension
Heart disease
Cancer
HIV
Tuberculosis
Chronic lung disease
What steps has the Western Cape Government taken to increase testing capacity?
We are using private labs via the National Health Laboratory Service when they have spare capacity. However, there is also growing demand in the private sector given the increased number of cases in the country.
We are pursuing an additional contractual relationship with private laboratories.
We have also started exploring testing capacity at the University laboratories with the support of the Solidarity Fund.
We are in regular communication with the National Government on the need for testing kits, brought into the country.
George Airport has not been listed as one of the airports permitted to open to receive business travellers and cargo under Alert Level 3. Considering the significant role this airport plays in providing access to the Garden Route District for many business travellers across South Africa, this is bad for business at a time when we should be doing everything we can to open the economy safely and responsibly in the Western Cape.
The average number of passengers through the George Airport prior to the Covid-19 lockdown was around 55 000 passengers per month, of which approximately 40 per cent were business travellers.
Across the Garden Route District there are many business professionals who commute weekly via air travel to their places of work. Many of these business professionals are engineers and tradesmen who need to visit worksites at important business nodes in the Garden Route District, such as the Port of Mossel Bay where Total’s offshore oil and gas project is located.
There are also various other aviation and logistics service providers which operate from George Airport and who currently cannot charter or provide air freight services to their clients across the country. Similarly, given the number of business travellers that the George area normally receives, the continued closure of the George Airport will mean that numerous accommodation businesses will not be able to benefit from being allowed to open under Alert Level 3.
Businesses in George and the Greater Knysna region are heavily dependent on business travellers having access via the George Airport. To not allow the airport to open during Alert Level 3 will mean continued hardship with likely job losses and business closures as a result. We believe these negative impacts can be prevented if the George Airport is allowed to open swiftly.
And so, I have written to the Minister of Transport, Fikile Mbalula, to request an urgent re-consideration of this decision.
We will continue to work hard to support business, and back business so that we can save jobs and save the economy in the Western Cape.
Notes for media:
Please find soundbyte from Minister David Maynier attached.
The Western Cape has recorded an additional 41 COVID-19 deaths-bringing the total number of deaths from the virus in the province to 562. We send our condolences to their loved ones at this time.
Vulnerable groups:
The Western Cape Government has conducted another review of all of the comorbidities associated with COVID-19 deaths in the province. When the data review was done on 26 May, the province had recorded 403 deaths- with the majority of these having one or more comorbidities.
The data has revealed that the top three co-morbidities per age group were:
Top three comorbidities per age group:
20 – 39 years (30% diabetes, 25% HIV, 20% Hypertension)
40 – 49 years (51% diabetes, 33% HIV, 28% Hypertension)
50 – 59 years (70% Diabetes, 63% Hypertension, 27% HIV)
The most prevalent co-morbidities in deaths due to COVID-19 across all age groups were diabetes and hypertension.
The majority of people who contract COVID-19 will experience mild symptoms and will be able to isolate and recover at home. However, those who are over the age of 55 or with underlying health conditions are most at risk of becoming seriously ill. This is why our health response must place a special focus on these groups, and why our testing strategy must align with this risk.
The country has now moved to alert level 3, which poses increased risk of infection as there will be more people moving around. That is why it is very important that those who falls into one of the vulnerable groupings, continue to take extra care in order to protect themselves. Staying at home will always be the single most important step you can take to protect yourself and we encourage all of those who do fall into these groups to remain at home as much as possible. The golden rules of hygiene, social distancing and wearing a mask are also important prevention steps.
For those who do not fall into these groups, you still have a responsibility to help protect both yourself and those around you who may fall into these groups. You can help by offering to help those in vulnerable groups- shopping for groceries, going to the pharmacy or running errands so that they do not go out into public. You can also help by ensuring that you are abiding by the golden rules at all times.
Recoveries:
Over 12 400 people have recovered from COVID-19 in the Western Cape. Among these recoveries, we celebrate the recovery of Ndumiso Mavimbela of Delft who has been released from Tygerberg last week after a 32-day stay which also included time on a ventilator and in the ICU. Mr Mavimbela falls into one of the risk groups, having recently been diagnosed with hypertension. His story is one of hope and we wish him well as he continues on his road to recovery. I would also like to thank the Tygerberg hospital team who provided him with the excellent medical care that helped him to recover.
Khayelitsha temporary hospital:
Yesterday, a temporary hospital built by Medicins Sans Frontiers in Khayelitsha, in collaboration with the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape Government opened its doors. Today, the hospital accepted its first patients for treatment. This hospital will allow for people from the nearby community to receive care and will work closely with the Khayelitsha hospital. We send our wishes to the patients and to the healthcare workers who are providing them with care.
While South Africans welcome the phased easing of lockdown restrictions to alert level 3 of the five-tier lockdown system as from Monday 1 June, this action simply means that business as usual continues for those officials who have been working as essential workers during the lockdown period.
Among these are call centre operators of the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Disaster Management Emergency Call Centre who work as frontline staff, 24 hours a day, seven (7) days a week. These officials provide a supporting function to essential services providers, by answering general inquiries and emergency calls relating to Emergency Medical Services (EMS); accidents, fires and floods in the Garden Route region, and lately to a large extent, COVID-19 inquiries.
The GRDM Call Centre team consists of four (4) permanent and two (2) temporary operators who work 12 hour shifts at a time, dealing with a volume of ± 2700 – 3000 calls per month. The well-trained and professional officials are known to perform their daily operations with high integrity and efficiency, providing accurate and reliable information to clients.
According to Mr Gerhard Otto, Manager of the GRDM Disaster Management Centre, “these officials are our unsung heroes who in these very difficult and uncertain times, are required to provide answers and direction to the Garden Route public whom they serve. The GRDM Covid-19 Command Centre continuously to provide operators with frequently updated information, in order for operators to address a myriad of enquiries directed to them as front-line call centre staff,” said Mr Otto.
The Council and management of the GRDM would like to acknowledge all employees and especially the essential workers who have showed great commitment and endurance during the past lockdown level 5 and 4.
“Public service must be more than doing a job efficiently and honestly. It must be a complete dedication to the people and to the nation.’’ – Margaret Chase Smith
The Western Cape has recorded an additional 33 COVID-19 deaths-bringing the total number of deaths from the virus in the province to 521. We send our condolences to their loved ones at this time.
Premier Alan Winde and National Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize on site at the CTICC hospital
National Minister of Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize visits the Western Cape:
Today, National Health Minister Zweli Mkhize visited the province to see our preparations for the peak of the COVID-19 curve. During the visit, he was able to see the CTICC hospital which will provide over 850 beds for CVOID-19 positive patients. He was also able to see the now complete 60 bed Khayelitsha temporary hospital which has been built by Medicins Sans Frontiers at the City of Cape Town’s Thusong Centre, and which will be operated in conjunction with the Department of Health in the province, giving care to COVID-19 positive patients in the area.
Minister Mkhize was also able to see the quarantine and isolation facility which has been sponsored by Old Mutual as well as the Brackengate site where work is currently underway on a 300 bed temporary hospital.
We were also able to brief Minister Mkhize on our hotspot plan and had the opportunity to discuss some of the risks in the system, such as the backlog in testing as a result of the NHLS backlogs and shortages of testing kits and reagents required for testing.
We are working closely with the National Department of Health ensuring that all of the nuts and bolts of our response are in place and that our approaches are aligned.
These sites are part of our ongoing preparations to ensure that at the peak, which is expected at the end of June, beginning of July in the Western Cape, we are able to offer care to those that require it.
Premier Winde meets with 200 nurses undergoing orientation at CTICC hospital:
Today, I had the opportunity to briefly address 200 nurses who are undergoing orientation training to work at the CTICC hospital. I would like to take this opportunity to again thank all of the nurses, doctors, and healthcare workers who have stepped up to the frontline. We are grateful for your commitment, your care and your work ethic and we thank you for the role you have played in the province thus far, and for the role you will continue to play going forward.
Alcohol sales:
From early this morning we have seen long queues forming around liquor stores across the country as alcohol sales have been re-opened. During the lockdown period, when alcohol sales were banned, we saw a significant dip in the number of people visiting emergency and trauma units. We will be keeping a close eye on the situation as alcohol is responsible for many harms in our communities, including violence, abuse, and road accidents. All of these have the potential to result in increased pressure on our hospital facilities. Western Cape residents must adhere to all of the rules of sale, and, if we find that alcohol is not used responsibly, and there is an associated increase in trauma cases at our hospitals, we will explore the options available to reduce this impact.
The alert level 3 restrictions rely on the people of this province to act with responsibility. This means being responsible when leaving the house and ensuring that we are practicing social distancing, wearing our masks and washing our hands regularly. This also means behaving responsibly by avoiding large gatherings, obeying the regulations which are in place and drinking responsibly so that we are all contributing meaningfully towards the fight against COVD-19 in the province.
Children’s Commissioner:
We would like to warmly welcome Christina Nomdo who started work as the province’s first ever Children’s Commissioner today and wish her well in this new role. Her first day coincides with the start of Child Protection Week in the country which is aimed at highlighting the plight of children in South Africa and the risks that they face in their homes and in their communities. It also coincides with a return to school for some learners in the province following the nationwide lockdown and the lifting of the ban on alcohol sales. For many the return to school is a welcome return to learning, and the regular meals provided by the School Nutrition Programme but we understand that there is still a lot of fear and anxiety for both parents and learners at this time. Alcohol is a driver of violence and as alcohol sales re-open it is up to every single one of us to ensure that children do not become the victims of abuse. The Children’s Commissioner post has been created to give a voice to the children of the Western Cape, and we look forward to working with the Children’s Commissioner to ensure that the issues children are currently facing are researched, understood and advocated for.
The Western Cape has recorded an additional 35 COVID-19 deaths-bringing the total number of deaths from the virus in the province to 472. We send our condolences to their loved ones at this time.
Back to school:
On Monday, learners in Grades 7 and 12 will return to school as part of a phased process. The Department of Education in the Western Cape has put in place a number of safety measures to ensure that learners and school staff are protected. We understand that for many parents, and teachers, there will be concern and anxiety associated with this return.
The Department in the province has spent R280 million so far to procure PPE and cleaning materials including 2.4 million face masks, 7013 thermometers which will be used to screen staff and learners and schools daily, as well as millions of litres of disinfectant, hand sanitizers and soaps for cleaning and personal hygiene. Measures have been put in place to ensure social distancing in schools and the department is engaging with learner transport to ensure that this is also conducted safely.
Measures have also been put in place to accommodate learners and staff with underlying illnesses which might make them more vulnerable to infection.
The Department, principals, teachers and staff are all working hard to ensure that a return to school and to learning does not come with increased risk. During this time, we encourage parents to talk to their children about the return to school and how they can best protect themselves while at school. This includes discussions about regular handwashing, ensuring that distancing is practiced at all times, and that masks are worn correctly.
On Monday, the whole country will also move to Alert level 3. We welcome the move because we are hyper-aware of the humanitarian crisis that has been a by-product of closing down large sections of the economy during the lockdown. The move to level 3 must be carefully managed which is why the Western Cape Government’s targeted hotspot plan will continue in areas where infections are highest. This plan however requires the support and assistance of all residents of these hotspot areas and the rest of the province.
With the Western Cape peak of the virus anticipated for the end of June/ beginning of July- precautionary measures must be taken by every single person to protect themselves and their loved ones.
During a briefing last night by the National Health Minister Zweli Mkize and members of the Ministerial Advisory Committee, we heard that 20% to 50% of infections are asymptomatic- with the carriers unknowingly spreading the virus. They also indicated that each person could potentially infect two other people. These two people could be our elderly parents, or loved ones with underlying illnesses who have a much higher risk of becoming seriously ill. Our own behaviour can stop this from happening and can save lives.
This virus is going to be with us for several more months and we need to adapt and change our behaviour. The world has changed and ‘business as usual” must become a thing of the past. We must be rigourous about hygiene and handwashing. Social distancing and wearing of masks must become second nature and we must do these things instinctively. This is how we will be able to flatten the curve and slow the spread of the virus.
The Western Cape has recorded an additional 34 COVID-19 deaths-bringing the total number of deaths from the virus in the province to 437. We send our condolences to their loved ones at this time.
Recoveries:
The Western Cape now has over 1700 more recovered patients than active COVID-19 infections in the province. While we are pleased that nearly 10 000 people have now beaten this virus, we must not become complacent.
The Western Cape’s new scenario planning has indicated that we expect to experience our peak at the end of June or beginning of July. At this peak, these models indicate that we will require 7800 hospital beds at our peak and 9300 people could die. The Western Cape has worked hard to prepare its systems in line with our initial projections based on available evidence at that stage, which predicted a lower demand on our healthcare services. We will now look at all of the available options to us to determine how best to further strengthen our health systems response and will communicate these soon.
Changing behaviour to save lives:
The biggest determining factor in how the Western Cape pandemic proceeds is the behavior of individuals. The Western Cape Government will take decisions with the best interests of the people of this province at heart, but how we all act now will help to save lives.
On Monday, the whole country will move to alert level 3. Regulations will be more relaxed but we absolutely must not become complacent. We cannot view this as a return to the way things were. In fact, the move to alert level 3 requires all of us to work even harder to protect ourselves and our loved ones.
For those who are in the high risk groups- being over the age of 55 or with an underlying illness- it is most important that you continue to stay at home unless it is absolutely necessary to go out. Businesses who employ people in these groups must find ways to allow them to work from home or take additional precautions to keep them safe during this time.
As more sections of the economy open up, public spaces will become busier and more people will be outside of their homes. We all have to take responsibility and ensure that we are taking all the necessary steps to stay safe. Hand washing, hygiene, keeping a distance of at least 1.5 metres from any other person, and correctly wearing your clean, cloth mask are simple steps that can have a big impact.
Businesses, schools and places of worship that will be re-opening under alert level 3 must ensure that they are properly prepared, that they are strictly enforcing the rules and that they are advocates for the safety of their clientele, believers and learners’ safety at all times.
Media Release: GRDM Municipal Health Services section educates schools regarding COVID-19
For Immediate Release
29 May 2020
The National Minister of Basic Education, recently, announced the re-opening of South African schools for Grade 7 and Grade 12 learners on 01 June 2020.
To ensure that these learners enter a safe learning environment it was expected from teachers and principals to return to their schools on Monday, 25 May 2020. This period allowed officials/educators to prepare for the return of learners and to receive personal protective equipment. To ensure that the safe learning environment is maintained during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Basic Education also issued a standard operating procedure which will be used by schools.
A crucial role-player in maintaining an overall healthy learning environment in the Garden Route, is the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Municipal Health Services function. Part of the responsibilities of Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) are to survey and prevent communicable diseases from spreading – this exclude the roll-out of immunization campaigns. It entails the training, awareness and education of all the school circuits within the Garden Route district.
When referring to this critical period, Manager of Municipal Health Services at GRDM, Mr Johan Compion, said: “Health promotion and safety protocols will be addressed to combat the spread of COVID-19. This will be done in collaboration with the Provincial Department of Health and the Department of Education,” he added.
Environmental Health Practitioners from Garden Route District Municipality conduct awareness sessions at various schools in the Garden Route district.
He furthermore highlighted that training of the school governing bodies has already started on Tuesday, 26 May 2020 in each sub-district of the Garden Route, which was conducted by EHPs of GRDM. He added that this will ensure that schools in the Garden Route district are equipped with information to implement a plan which they can effectively execute regarding disinfection and sanitation, especially for high risk areas, e.g. but not limited to:
All school vehicles (mini-buses any other vehicle);
Offices.
The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa allocates Municipal Health Services as a Local Government function under Part B of Schedule 4, Section 156 (1) (a). This means that EHPs from the GRDM have to conduct environmental health inspections at school premises in the Garden Route district. Furthermore, the National Health Act, 2003 (Act 61 of 2003) defines Municipal Health Services in terms of the following 9 Key Performance Areas:
(1) Water quality monitoring
(2) Food control
(3) Waste management
(4) Health surveillance of premises
(5) Surveillance and prevention of communicable diseases, excluding immunizations
(6) Vector control
(7) Environmental pollution control
(8) Disposal of the dead
(9) Chemical safety
In maintaining the health standard of schools in the Garden Route, the district will continue to roll out awareness about COVID-19 through promoting proper hand washing techniques, social distancing, cough etiquette, cleaning, sanitizing and continual disinfection of frequently touched surfaces.
