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30 July 2020 Media Release: Accommodation for leisure FINALLY open!

Media Release: Accommodation for leisure FINALLY open!

For Immediate Release
30 July 2020

Accommodation for leisure FINALLY open!

We can, finally welcome the confirmation by the Minister of Tourism, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, that accommodation for leisure is open for travel within provinces under Alert Level 3.

What this means is that families who live in the province can now spend a weekend away at their favourite getaway spot and enjoy the best that the Western Cape has to offer, while doing so safely and responsibly.

We also welcome the announcement that the curfew will start at 10pm to allow restaurants an uninterrupted dinner service.

We have repeatedly called for the opening of these sectors, who have already done a great deal of work to develop health and safety guidelines and protocols aimed at ‘de-risking’ the sector.

While these adjustments to the restrictions will certainly help to mitigate the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the tourism and hospitality industry, they don’t go far enough, and so we will continue to engage with national government on this.

This finally brings to an end, months of flip-flopping that have caused immense financial damage and significant jobs losses that could have been avoided if a common-sense approach had been taken from the start.

We call on all people who can, to book a holiday or even just a night away, to support the tourism and hospitality sector in the Western Cape.

We all need to contribute to economic recovery in the Western Cape – and supporting our accommodation sector, while visiting and supporting shops and restaurants in local towns at the same time has never been more important!

Notes for media:
Please find soundbyte from Minister David Maynier attached

To read the statement online visit: https://www.westerncape.gov.za/news/accommodation-leisure-finally-open

Media Queries:

Francine Higham

Spokesperson for the Provincial Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities

(Responsible for the Provincial Treasury and the Department of Economic Development and Tourism)

Tel: 021 483 4327 / Cell: 071 087 5150 / Email: francine.higham@westerncape.gov.za

If you do not want to receive future media releases from Minister David Maynier then please reply directly to this email requesting to be removed from our mailing list.

29 July 2020 Media Release: Hotspot Awareness increased for Thembalethu and Pacaltsdorp in George

Media Release: Hotspot Awareness increased for Thembalethu and Pacaltsdorp in George

For Immediate Release
29 July 2020

Issued George Municipality, Wednesday 29 July

The Western Cape Provincial Government uses a dashboard to track the number of reported Covid-19 positive cases which updated on a daily basis. The dashboard shows the number of tests done, deaths reported, and the number of recoveries  and categorises the Western Cape districts by the amount of infections, monitoring  the trends in infections, deaths and recoveries. Based on the heat mapping derived from this dashboard the Western Cape and Garden Route District Covid -19 Command Centre  together with George Municipality are able to identify localized areas as “hotspots” – these are areas where the rate of infection has increased dramatically through community transmission.

The National Government and Western Cape Government have developed hotspot strategies aimed at reducing community transmission of COVID-19, and the morbidity and mortality of vulnerable people. The premise is to get  people to stay at home unless necessary to travel, to maintain physical distance outside the home, to always use a mask, and to maintain hygiene. The awareness is coupled with the targeted screening and testing of vulnerable people. Various hotspots have been identified in the Western Cape  including  the Cape Winelands, the West Coast, Overberg, the Garden Route, Tygerberg, Khayelitsha, Klipfontein, Mitchells Plain, and parts of the Cape Flats. Within the Garden Route localized hotspots have been identified in Knysna, Mossel Bay and in George – specifically Thembalethu and Pacaltsdorp.

A dedicated multi-disciplinary task team has been established to give special attention to those communities showing high rates of transmission of infection and to address the adherence to the Covid-19 regulations and health protocols in general. The awareness methods utilized by the multidisciplinary Covid-19 task team led by  George Municipality include the use of a trailer banner which will move around to different streets within an area and the erection of  lamppole posters. These are supplemented by community radio advertising campaigns, outreaches including radio outside broadcasts, the handing out of flyers and an active social media campaign. Besides the dedicated awareness campaign, the sanitisation and disinfection of public areas are regularly undertaken by GRDM together with outreach programmes implemented by their EHP officials on an ongoing basis.

The public can access the following link to review the statistics per town and per suburb: https://coronavirus.westerncape.gov.za/covid-19-dashboard

Criticism of the targeted awareness is noted on social media and it is important to stress that this is not about stigmatizing a particular area. This is being done to protect the community members living in that area . To ensure that they are aware that there is a high infection rate within their area and that they need to take extra care to keep themselves and their families safe.

Chantel Edwards-Klose
Communications: Manager

Office of the Municipal Manager

Office: 044 801 9160

Cell: 082 350 2420

Email: cedwardsklose@george.gov.za

28 July 2020 Media Release: A positive attitude helped her beat COVID-19

28 July 2020 Media Release: A positive attitude helped her beat COVID-19

For Immediate Release
28 July 2020

An asthmatic official employed at the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM), Ms Spasina Brinkhuys, recently received a notification from the laboratory that she tested positive for COVID-19.

Now out of isolation, she recalls how she got the annual flue this time of the year; however this year her minor symptoms resulted in her going for a COVID-19 test, which confirmed her suspicion.

She stated that on Friday, 17 July 2020, prior to the week when she received her results, she started experiencing mild flu-like symptoms. On Saturday morning, not knowing whether it was the normal flu or perhaps COVID-19 as she had a runny nose, she decided that she would need to work from home as from the Monday the following week. By Monday morning when her symptoms were unchanged, she decided to visit her physician who recommended that she needed to go for a COVID-19 test at the local PathCare pathology practice. With a short moment of waiting for a test that took place in seconds, she received her results in the evening of the same day. “It did not come as a shock, as I was mentally prepared for the news. I just said to myself, I need to fight this infection with all positivity I have in me,” she said.

The first thing Spasina did after receiving her results in the evening, was to immediately wake up all the members in her household to break the news, to ensure that they follow all quarantine protocols and to stay safe while she had to put herself into self-isolation.  Early the next morning, she also contacted the GRDM to inform them about her results. GRDM responded by immediately closing the head office for disinfection and, informing her close contacts. Spasina also informed the school that her children attend.

Her family supported her during this period and constantly monitored her symptoms. During this period she used the paracetamols prescribed by her physician, multivitamins, ate many fruits, as well as vegetables rich in Vitamin C and drank plenty of hot fluids. She further made sure that she caught some morning sunlight.

On day-4 of being in isolation she sent an e-mail to her employer, stating:

“I was wearing my mask all the time and using my gloves while I was working – but I still got the virus.

I normally get flu this time of the year and my current symptoms are the same as normal flu.

Not everyone will get this virus – if your immune system is strong enough, then one won’t get infected. And when one does get the virus, it’s not necessary transmitted from someone specific, it could have been transmitted from droplets left in the air. I therefore don’t  know who gave it to me and how or when I got  infected, and I  also did not get all the  COVID-19 symptoms.

My experience is that I just got my normal flu symptoms, but I tested positive.

My doctor gave me Panado capsules and said it’s the only medication to use, and in addition I used more and more vitamins.

Today is my 4th day and I am feeling very good”.

In closing she highlighted: “I was very lucky” and added that many others who contract the virus develop severe complications and others tragically die. “I have asthma; I believe God really protected me throughout my COVID-19 journey”.

She would like to share a word of gratitude to her physician who recommended that she go for testing, practitioners at PathCare for making her feel at ease when they tested her, her family for their support, care and love, as well as her employer, the Garden Route District Municipality and to all those who supported her during this uncertain period of her life.

Photo caption: Spasina Brinkhuys, Manager for Records and Archives at Garden Route District Municipality, who defeated the COVID-19 Coronavirus.

ENDS

28 July 2020 Awareness: Today is World Hepatitis Day

World Hepatitis Day is marked every year to increase awareness and understanding of viral hepatitis and the diseases that it causes.

Worldwide, 290 million people are living with viral hepatitis unaware. Without finding the undiagnosed and linking them to care, millions will continue to suffer, and lives will be lost. On World Hepatitis Day, 28 July, we call on people from across the world to take action and raise awareness to find the “missing millions”. Learn more here: https://www.worldhepatitisday.org/

WHAT IS HEPATITIS?

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, most commonly caused by a viral infection. Each type of hepatitis is caused a different virus and the 5 main hepatitis viruses are:

HEPATITIS A is spread mainly through eating food or drinking water that has been contaminated by the faeces of an infected person. It can also be spread by eating raw shellfish that have come from water contaminated by sewage.

Hepatitis A is preventable by vaccine. It spreads from contaminated food or water or contact with someone who is infected.

HEPATITIS B is transmitted through contact with the blood or other body fluids (i.e. saliva, semen and vaginal fluid) of an infected person. It can be passed on from mother to child during childbirth.

Globally some 250 – 400 million people are chronically infected with hepatitis B, with sub-Saharan Africa (sSA) and South-East Asia being disproportionately affected. Compared with the 1.5 million deaths annually due to HIV/AIDS, which are declining, hepatitis B mortality is on the rise with 500 000 – 1.2 million deaths annually. This relates in part to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the fifth most common malignancy and the third leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, despite the fact that hepatitis B is an entirely vaccine-preventable disease.

HEPATITIS C is mainly spread through blood-to-blood contact. In rare cases it can be transmitted through certain sexual practices and during childbirth.

Hepatitis C can be more severe and is the most deadly, but even those with acute illness can recover without lasting liver damage. Up to 70% of those chronically infected with hepatitis C develop chronic liver disease, and up to 20% develop cirrhosis.

HEPATITIS D is spread through contact with infected blood through unsafe injections or transfusions.

Hepatitis D virus (HDV) is a virus that requires hepatitis B virus (HBV) for its replication. HDV infection occurs only simultaneously or as super-infection with HBV. The virus is most commonly transmitted from mother to child during birth and delivery, as well as through contact with blood or other body fluids.

HEPATITIS E is mainly transmitted through eating food or drinking water that’s been contaminated by the faeces of an infected person. It can also be spread by eating raw shellfish that have come from water contaminated by sewage.

Hepatitis E usually resolves on its own within four to six weeks. Treatment focuses on supportive care, rehydration and rest.

All of these viruses cause short term, or acute infection. However the hepatitis B, C and D viruses can also cause long-term infection, called chronic hepatitis, which can lead to life-threatening complications such as liver failure and liver cancer.

DIAGNOSIS AND SYMPTOMS OF VIRAL HEPATITIS

When a patient reports the following symptoms viral hepatitis is likely and can be confirmed by blood test. These symptoms include:

  • fever,
  • tiredness,
  • abdominal pain,
  • nausea and vomiting,
  • darkening of urine,
  • loss of appetite, and
  • jaundice (yellow colouring of the skin and white of the eyes).

WHEN TO SEE A DOCTOR

If you experience any of these potentially serious symptoms you need to see a doctor immediately:

  • persistent vomiting for longer than 6 hours,
  • extreme drowsiness, confusion or restlessness,
  • unusual bruising or bleeding, and/or
  • if jaundice continues for longer than 3 weeks.

PREVENT HEPATITIS BY:

  • providing safe food and water (hepatitis A and E),
  • practising good hygiene and sanitation,
  • having safe sex,
  • safe vaccinations (hepatitis A, B, and E),
  • avoiding getting tattoos or body piercings from unlicensed facilities,
  • screening of blood donations and provision of sterile injecting equipment, and
  • reducing the risk of infection by not sharing needles, razors etc. with someone’s who’s infected (hepatitis B and C).

It’s important for you to be aware of hepatitis and to learn how you can protect yourself and your family from being infected. Transmission of this virus can be prevented through better awareness and services that improve vaccinations, safer injections and blood transfusions, and to reduce long-term damage and harm.

Watch this video to learn more: https://youtu.be/cVttqfgExL0

27 July 2020 Speech by Mayor Booysen at an Ordinary Council Meeting of Garden Route DM

Thank you Alderman Speaker and once again, good morning to all Councillors present, those in Council Chambers and those who are working from home.

Alderman Speaker, in my culture they say that one builds a relationship by giving a handshake to another or by having eye-to-eye contact. I am now making eye contact with Councillor Wilbert Harris. I would like to relay to him that he is warmly welcomed as a member of our council. We have worked together on other platforms and are not strangers to one another, hence I will relay as Councillor Gericke did, when he congratulated our new Alderladies – let’s continue to do what we are elected to do. I am convinced that you will be able to efficiently do what you were elected to do.

Alderman Speaker, I must remind the people of the Garden Route that we are taking a lot of strain under COVID-19. Our region is still a hotspot and now one of the fastest growing in terms of rising active cases. This has been calculated in terms of COVID-19 cases per 100 000 in our area. We unfortunately keep peaking on a daily basis.

Once again, my plea to Garden Routers is to please abide by what we have been asked to do. We must wear our masks when we go out in public, we must wash our hands frequently for 20 seconds or longer, we must exercise social distancing, and we must look after ourselves when making use of public transport. It is in every individual’s hands to collectively beat this virus together

Alderman Speaker, you did allude to some of our own colleagues who are infected, some are Councillors too. Our prayers are with them and we support them in everything they do. We hope and pray that those in quarantine do not become infectious.

Alderman Speaker, also on another sad note, there was a horrible accident in Plettenberg Bay over the past weekend and I am not going to mention names, because I was not given permission to do so. What I can say is that the lady who died was a personal assistant of mine when I was Mayor for Bitou Municipality. My heartfelt condolences go out to the friends, family and colleagues of the deceased. On behalf of the Garden Route District Municipality, our prayers go out to them – may the Lord give them strength over this time.

Alderman Speaker, we also buried our former Integrated Development Manager the past weekend in Molteno, one of the last items he prepared for today’s meeting. I want to say that those of us who had been to Mr Cekiso’s funeral followed all necessary protocols and safety measures on the day. We did not even get out of our vehicles at the cemetery or anything. Apart from us being sanitised our clothes and the area around us were disinfected.

Thank you Alderman Speaker.

27 July 2020 Media Release: Alderlady status conferred upon two (2) additional Councillors of the Garden Route District Municipality

Media Release: Alderlady status conferred upon two (2) additional Councillors of the Garden Route District Municipality

For Immediate Release
27 July 2020

Alderlady status conferred upon two (2) additional Councillors of the Garden Route District Municipality. They include Alderladies Jennifer Harnick & Iona Kritzinger.

The bestowment of Alderman or Alderlady statuses occurs upon the commencement of a councillor’s term as Executive Mayor, Executive Deputy Mayor or Speaker of Council. Furthermore, any Councillor who obtains a minimum of ten (10) points on the following scale, also qualifies for the conferment: One (1) point for every year of service as a Councillor at one or more municipalities and it need not be continuous; and one (1) additional point for every year of service as a member of the Mayoral Committee.

Aldermen/Alderladies also receive the following privileges:

  • provision of a special parking space in the municipal parking area on prior arrangement;
  • provision of agendas even after retirement in electronic format if so required;
  • Alderman/Alderlady is kept on municipal invitation lists; and
  • reserving of special seats at Council Meetings should a member so wish; issuing of an Honorary certificate.

27 July 2020 Media Release: Those in self-isolation and quarantine in Oudtshoorn stay at home

Media Release: Those in self-isolation and quarantine in Oudtshoorn stay at home

For Immediate Release
27 July 2020 

“Everyone was found to be 100% compliant following a routine inspection by Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Environmental Health Practitioners (EHP) to  Oudtshoorn households,” said GRDM Manager for Municipal Health Services of the Klein Karoo Region,” Mr Desmond Paulse.

On Friday 17 July 2020, EHPs from GRDM offices in the Hessequa, Mossel Bay and George sub-districts joined the GRDM Oudtshoorn EHPs to conduct COVID-19 compliance inspections at 71 households where positive COVID-19 patients were in self -isolation. Compliance visits include checking if those who are supposed to be in isolation are at home and are following all COVID-19 protocols.

In concluding each visit, EHPs donate bottles of sanitiser sprays to each household and continue to raise health and hygiene awareness in the affected areas. Each household is given pamphlets relating to home care advice and how to properly disinfect one’s home.

Mr Desmond Paulse shared a word of gratitude to all participants who supported the Oudtshoorn EHPs during the visits in their effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to save lives.

Household surfaces have to be regularly cleaned with disinfectant.  Photo: Pexels

Home care advice

  • Wash your hands often for at least 20 seconds with soap and water,
  • Cough or sneeze into a tissue or your elbow and throw the tissue away safely in a bin,
  • Double-bag household waste and store for 5 days before putting it out for collection.

How to clean and disinfect surfaces in your home

  • Mix 6 teaspoons of bleach with 1 litre (4 cups) of water and apply to the surface. Leave for 2 minutes and then wipe off with water.

Feature Image caption:  EHPs who conducted the compliance visits were (fltr): Willie Plaatjies and Johan Smith (Oudtshoorn), Marcelles Hurling and Haemish Herwels (Riversdale) Desmond Paulse and Elizna Cairncross, with (front, sitting) Francois Koelman (Oudtshoorn).  Monique Anthony and Ikhanya Hendriks (Mossel Bay), as well as Ivy Mamegwa, Jessica Erasmus, Clive Africa (Executive Manager: Community Services) and Johan Compion (Manager: Municipal Health & Environmental Services) from George, were absent during the photograph.

ENDS

iStock.com/ra2studio

24 July 2020 Media Release: Garden Route Health Platform Update

Media Release: Garden Route Health Platform Update

For Immediate Release
24 July 2020

As of 24 July 2020, the Garden Route District has 4563 confirmed cases of Covid-19.

Cases 

Garden Route cases and recoveries per subdistrict.

  • Bitou 304 cases; 171 recoveries
  • Knysna 767 cases; 412 recoveries
  • George 2026 cases; 1304 recoveries
  • Hessequa 109 cases; 66 recoveries
  • Kannaland 45 cases; 28 recoveries
  • Mossel Bay 978 cases; 526 recoveries
  • Oudsthoorn 334 cases; 195 recoveries

The Garden Route has recorded 108 Covid-19 deaths.

Hessequa 3
Mossel Bay 15
George 49
Knysna 17
Bitou 10
Oudtshoorn 14

Hospitalisation

There are currently 109 patients admitted in public and private hospitals with 35 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, the vulnerable and those of high risk (people with co-morbidities). To date 142 310 people have been screened and 1223 referred for testing.

Isolation and quarantine

Isolation facilities are for patients with mild to moderate symptoms where they can recover from Covid-19 and quarantine facilities are for those awaiting test results. These facilities are safe and comfortable and you will receive free transport, meals, and a laundry service. People who cannot isolate or quarantine safely at home, can be referred to a isolation or quarantine facility.

PetroSA (West Camp) is currently the only activated isolation and quarantine facility in the Garden Route. More facilities will be announced, if and when the need arises or capacity is exceeded at PetroSA. We currently have 68 people at West Camp.

Primary healthcare                                                                                                        

Our Primary Health Care platform is an important vehicle to support our health system, so that our patients are well cared for to prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed. Although we advise patients to only visit their nearest clinic for essential services 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 testing, do not delay

The Department has implemented an action plan for Diabetics with COVID symptoms which includes expanding testing for diabetics who represent a high risk group. Our current data suggests that these patients are presenting or are being admitted too late in a very sick conditions, which has dire outcomes.

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 uptake.

We urge all citizens to remain careful in observing the essential 5 Golden Rules of hygiene and safety. It remains important to take particular care of persons with underlying conditions and particularly Diabetes, who are at significantly increased risk of severe COVID-19. We urge these people to really take special care and to shield themselves from exposure where possible.

The protection of our most vulnerable loved ones 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: 044 5333846

Picture credit: iStock.com/ra2studio