Premier Alan Winde confirms total of 290 962 cases of Coronavirus COVID-19 in Western Cape

As of 1pm on 20 May 2021, the Western Cape has 3163 active COVID-19 infections, with a total of 290 962 people having been infected with COVID-19 to date and 276 065 recoveries. 

By 5pm on 18 May 2021, the Western Cape Government had administered:

The Western Cape has recorded 5 additional deaths since our last daily update on Wednesday, 19 May, bringing the total number of Covid-19 related deaths in the province to 11 734. We send our condolences to their loved ones at this time.

Additional data is available on the Western Cape Covid-19 data dashboard which also features active cases per sub-district, active cases per 100 000 and 7-day moving averages. To view the Dashboard, visit:  https://coronavirus.westerncape.gov.za/covid-19-dashboard 

“Western Cape remains in a resurgence, but we can delay the onset of a third wave”

During my weekly digital press conference today, I confirmed that the Western Cape is continuing to experience a resurgence of COVID-19 infections.

While the increase in the number of cases is concerning, we still have an opportunity to slow the spread down and reduce the number of COVID-19 infections in the province by taking the necessary safety precautions. The power is still in our hands.

The Resurgence Monitor, available on our public-facing dashboard, shows us that there has been a continued increase of COVID-19 infections, for 12 days compared to the previous week.

This data also tells us that the number of daily new COVID-19 cases has increased to on average 200 new diagnoses each day with a 25% week on week increase which is slightly slower than last week.

In the Metro:

• Overall, there is a 33% week on week increase in cases in the Metro;
• The Northern, Eastern, Southern, Western and Tygerberg districts continue to see increasing case numbers; and
• This is linked to cases in more affluent areas, with increased testing in the private sector.

In the rural communities:

• The increase in the case numbers in the rural areas has slowed down; and
• We continue to see big increases in the number of cases on the West Coast, which is linked to the growth of cases seen in the Northern Cape.

Insofar as our healthcare platform is concerned, there are:

1. Currently 763 COVID-19 patients in our acute hospitals (416 in public hospitals and 347 in private hospitals). This excludes persons under investigation and cases in specialised hospital settings.
2. The Metro hospitals have an average occupancy rate of 90%; George drainage area hospitals at 65%; Paarl drainage area hospitals at 74% and Worcester drainage area hospitals at 72%.
3. COVID-19 and person under investigation cases currently make up 5% of all available acute general hospital capacity in both metro and rural regional hospital drainage areas.
4. COVID-19 inter-mediate care: the Brackengate Hospital of Hope currently has 17 patients (3 380 cumulative patients), Freesia and Ward 99 has 0 patients, Mitchell Plain Hospital of Hope has 0 patients and Sonstraal currently has 0 patient. 
5. The metro mass fatality centre has a capacity for 240 bodies; currently, 3 decedents (a cumulative total of 1415 bodies) admitted. The overall capacity has been successfully managed across the province.

“The Western Cape Government is prepared to respond to the third wave”

As a provincial government, we have put in place measures to respond to the third wave, which is guided by our 5-point containment and mitigation plan. These measures will ensure that we respond effectively and quickly to an increase in cases and that we can dramatically reduce the number of admissions and deaths.

Our containment and mitigation plan will ensure that we prevent the healthcare system from being overwhelmed. It will also ensure that we limit the need to de-escalate frontline healthcare services; and not interrupt the rollout of the vaccine programme.

The 5-point plan focusses on:

1. Changing community behaviours to prevent infection;
2. Surveillance and outbreak response;
3. Scaling-up health platform Covid-19 capacity;
4. Maintaining comprehensive services; and
5. Safeguarding and protecting the wellbeing of healthcare workers.

The South African COVID-19 Modelling Consortium have predicted that the third wave will be smaller than the second wave in the Western Cape but this is subject to many factors, including our behaviour. This means that the onset of the third wave is in our hands.

I therefore call on residents in the Western Cape to help keep the third wave at bay by:

• Wearing your mask
• Avoiding non-essential gatherings
• Keeping all essential gatherings small, short, well-distanced and outside
• Sanitise your hands often
• Protecting those at high risk of severe COVID-19 infection
• Getting the COVID-19 vaccine when it is your turn.

Vaccines are arriving, and we are one step closer to finally beating this virus. Let’s not give up now.

Let’s stay strong, stay safe and move forward together.