Media Release: Community screening and testing for COVID-19 starts today, 6 April 2020

For Immediate Release
6 April 2020

Western Cape Government Health will commence community screening and testing for COVID-19 from today, 6 April 2020. This is in line with the President and Minister Mkhize’s announcement that fieldworkers will commence with an active community screening and testing programme. With the number of positive COVID-19 cases spreading in communities, the risk to vulnerable communities is increasing. Government health services are actively trying to find people who might need help through talking to people (screening) and thus to determine whether they need to go for testing so we can refer them for treatment.

“We must ensure that our vulnerable communities are screened and tested in greater numbers to ensure our people are protected against the spread of the COVID-19 disease,” says Dr. Nomafrench Mbombo, MEC for Health in Western Cape. “I myself will be visiting Mbekweni in Paarl tomorrow to give support to our community teams.”

Fake news alert

Western Cape Government Health is aware of the video circulating on social media relating to community based testing of COVID-19

COVID-19 tests are performed with a nose and mouth swab, which is clinically safe and not contaminated

The video is not true. No blood or DNA tests will be done

Various initiatives will be rolled out this week, but we will start with the following areas:

Community screening and testing will start in the following areas:

Cape Town Metro sub-districts

• Khayelitsha: Town2 and Ilitha Park (Monday)
• Eastern: Happy Valley (Monday)
• Western: Bo-Kaap (Tuesday)
• Tygerberg: Bishop Lavis (Monday)
• Klipfontein: Philippi (Tuesday)

Rural districts

• Kwanonqaba, Mossel Bay (Monday)
• Mbekweni, Cape Winelands (Monday)

Screening and testing will be expanded to other vulnerable communities at high risk of Coronavirus spreading from person to person. Screening will be conducted door-to-door by trained field workers in these areas using simple verbal questions to identify people who may require testing. Health workers will ask health questions aimed at screening for symptom (a sore throat, a cough or fever screening will either be done via community health workers visiting your home, or mobile units in your area (e.g. gazebos). Our fieldworkers will have ID tags and identifiable clothing. We ask the public to please allow our workers to screen them.

Testing will be done if the questions indicate that you require a further test. The health worker will refer you to the closest testing centre. The test will be done by taking a swab from your nose and throat. This will either be done in a clinic, or in a mobile parked in your area. Test results will not be immediately available but patients will be followed up and advised of their status.

What individuals must do

• Please welcome health workers when screening
• Answer the questions honestly.
• Remember the 5 Golden rules: Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, keep surfaces clean, do not touch your face, cough and sneeze in your elbow fold, keep 1,5m away from people, and stay at home
• Please co-operate fully and support family for testing

What communities should do

• Please encourage people to be screened and tested
• Look out for health workers who have official identification and branded clothing
• Please support our health workers and keep them safe
• Please help to keep communities clean and encourage good behaviour
• Don’t be afraid of testing or potential sick people.
• Please support the elderly and children

Where can I get help

• Your local NGO or health worker
• Call numbers: National Hotline: 0800 029 999
  Provincial hotline: 021 928 4102
  WhatsApp “hi” to 0600 123 456
• All lines are operational 24/7
• Your closest clinic (City and Province)Together, let’s stop the spread of Coronavirus

ENDS

Media Queries

Nadia Ferreira | Principal Communications Officer
Garden Route and Central Karoo Districts, Western Cape Government
E-mail: nadia.ferreira@westerncape.gov.za

Garden Route District Multi-Agency Command Centre

Media Release: District Municipality rolls out district-wide disinfection plan

For Immediate Release
4 April 2020

Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM), in conjunction with local municipalities, started sanitising/disinfection of various areas on 1 April 2020 and will continue to do this at public spaces and informal settlements. Due to the risk of the coronavirus remaining on frequently used surfaces, it is important to disinfect areas where a large number of feet pass through. Some of these include communal toilets, taps and door handles.

Executive Manager Community Services Mr Clive Africa said: “We have started implementing a practical sanitation plan for high risk areas and certain items and will ensure that it is repeated when and if necessary. The disinfection action will be directed to private and public places, including communal and public toilets, taxi ranks and marketplaces, sidewalks, municipal properties, state owned properties, private properties, and camping sites.”

Disinfection sites are categorized into high-, medium- and low risk categories. High risk sites must be disinfection daily, or every 2nd day. These include taxi ranks, informal settlements, communal facilities, etc. Medium risk sites that must be disinfection every 3rd day include shops, banks and public benches, to name a few. Low risk sites that must be disinfection every 5th day include public spaces at beach areas (not the beach area), animal welfare vehicles, and public facilities closed during lockdown.

TRAINING

Training of personnel regarding disinfection of private and public places took place in George, Hessequa, Kannaland, and Knysna today. Further training sessions will take place in Mossel Bay, Bitou and Oudtshoorn tomorrow.

“Local municipalities welcomed the disinfection training we provided over the past few days,” said Africa.

ENDS

Media Queries
Herman Pieters | Senior Communicator
Garden Route District Municipality
E-mail: communications@gardenroute.gov.za

Garden Route District Multi-Agency Command Centre

Media Statement

For Immediate Release

3 April 2020

Media Statement: Food vendors and hawkers allowed to trade food during lockdown

Only street vendors that have an existing trading permit that was issued by local municipalities before the Covid-19 lockdown, are allowed to operate. They may only sell basic food products. Hot meals and food preparation not be permitted. Spaza shops selling essential groceries are allowed to trade from 08:00 – 18:00.

FALSE INFORMATION

Information is going the rounds that hawkers and street vendors can request permits to trade during lockdown from municipal councillors. The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma communicated this statement via various news channels yesterday and this morning. It has however been retracted during a video conference session between the Department and Executive Mayors at 14:00 today.

Media Queries
Herman Pieters | Senior Communicator
Garden Route District Municipality
E-mail: communications@gardenroute.gov.za

Garden Route District Multi-Agency Command Centre

Media Release: Funeral undertakers trained to safely handle COVID-19 deceased

For Immediate Release
2 April 2020

Disease outbreaks often claim lives, and the number of lives lost since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic on a global scale, stands at 49,240. In light of the COVID-19 outbreak that hit South Africa, all 9 its provinces and subsequently, the Garden Route district, Environmental Health Practitioners from Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM), in conjunction with Forensic Pathology Services (FPS) and Emergency Medical Services (EMS), provided training to all funeral undertakers in the district. This was done to ensure that they are trained on aspects such as the safe handling and transportation of the deceased, including the donning and doffing of personal protective equipment and the disinfection of contaminated sites.

Training sessions took place yesterday in all municipal areas and accommodated 40 funeral undertakers in the Garden Route District.

Training sessions were conducted by officials from FPS, EMS, and Environmental Health Practitioners, who explained their different roles with regard to the handling and disposal of human remains and the disinfection of sites.

ENDS

Media Queries
Herman Pieters | Senior Communicator
Garden Route District Municipality
E-mail: communications@gardenroute.gov.za

Garden Route District Multi-Agency Command Centre

GRDM MULTI-AGENCY COMMAND CENTRE POSITION

Please note that this statement replaces the previous statement issued by Garden Route District Municipality as new regulations have been promulgated.

A link to the District’s previous statement is available here: https://www.gardenroute.gov.za/2020/03/28/restrictions-to-funeral-services-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/

MEDIA STATEMENT

2 April 2020

THE MINISTER OF COGTA ANOUNCES AMENDMENTS TO THE COVID-19 REGULATIONS

In a quest to reinforce the national response and following extensive consultations with the Ministers responsible for the COVID-19 interventions and the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC), the Minister of COGTA, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, has gazetted further amendments to the Regulations on the COVID-19 lockdown.

These amendments will enhance national integrated response measures while also clarifying the application of the regulations relating to government’s measures to reduce the risk of infection and curtail the rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus while maintain the integrity of the lockdown.

Movement in so far as funerals are concerned is being clarified in the amendment regulations.

The amendments allow certain individuals to move between provinces and, metropolitan and district areas for purposes of transporting a body for burial purposes.

The amendment also limits the individuals who are permitted to travel to funerals. The regulation now outlines a process for persons who wish to travel between provinces, or between metropolitan and district areas to attend a burial or cremation to obtain a permit.

It further determines that only the following persons, who live outside a province or metropolitan and district areas, may attend a funeral:
(i) spouse or partner of the deceased;
(ii) children of the deceased, whether biological, adopted or stepchildren.
(iii) children-in-law of the deceased;
(iv) parents of the deceased whether biological, adopted or stepparents;
(v) siblings, whether biological, adopted or stepbrother or sister of the deceased;
(vi) grandparents of the deceased; and
(vii) persons closely affiliated to the deceased.

The current prohibition of 50 persons attending a funeral is still in operation. The holding of night vigils is still prohibited.

The permit may be obtained from:
– A Magistrate who is the head of office or
– a station commander of a police station or a person designated by him or her

In order to obtain a permit:
A Magistrate who is the head of office or a station commander of a police station or a person designated by him or her must be provided with a death certificate or a certified copy of a death certificate;

It is important to note that:
A permit holder may stay at a hotel, lodge or guest house for the duration of the funeral or cremation. The permit must be presented to the owner or manager of the hotel, lodge or guest house.

The COVID-19 regulations and ammendment may be accessed for download at: http://www.cogta.gov.za/?p=7871 or https://bit.ly/2X46YJl

The members of the Inter-Ministerial Task Team (IMTT) on COVID-19 will brief the media today on the amendments. The details of the media briefing will be announced shortly.

Enquiries:
Mlungisi Mtshali
Cell: 0820885060

Issued by Ministry for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs