Resurgence of Covid-19 is spreading like wildfire in the Western Cape

CAPE TOWN – The resurgence of Covid-19 is spreading like wildfire in the Western Cape, with more than 1 000 people hospitalised with the virus.

Areas where it's spreading quickest include Bellville, Claremont, Delft, Dunoon, Grassy Park, Gugulethu, Hanover Park, Kuils River, Lentegeur, Lotus River, Macassar, Milnerton, Nyanga, Ottery, Parklands, Parow, Pinelands, Rocklands, Rondebosch, Sea Point, Somerset West, Strand, Tafelsig and Wynberg.

Mayco member for community services and health Zahid Badroodien said community transmission was growing across the metropole, with certain suburbs showing higher active case numbers.

Provincial Health Department spokesperson Mark van der Heever said they were ready to activate their field hospitals should the need arise.

He said a number of interventions continued to exist.

“There are quarantine and isolation facilities in each of the districts, and the department's surveillance system continues to pick up clusters.

“We have sufficient field hospital capacity at this point and are confident we will have sufficient capacity to deal with a resurgence.”

He said they were also keeping an eye on other areas such as the Cape Winelands.

A total of 1 020 people have been hospitalised with 187 in ICU or high care, according to the daily pandemic report by Premier Alan Winde. The province recorded 7 792 active Covid-19 infections, 127 403 confirmed cases and 115 017 recoveries, as of 1pm on Thursday. The death toll currently stands at 4 594. About 762 455 tests have been conducted.

The Western Cape Disaster Management Joint Operation Centre has been assigned to co-ordinate high-visibility enforcement of Covid-19 regulations in the province.

Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning MEC Anton Bredell said enforcement would be carried out in a co-ordinated fashion. Police, law enforcement, environmental health practitioners and the Department of Labour would co-ordinate joint and regular inspections of work areas, entertainment venues, public gatherings, and quarantine and isolation sites.

“Over the last week alone, the province has witnessed a 52.1% jump in new cases, primarily in the Garden Route and Cape Metro regions,” said Bredell.

During the province’s weekly digicon, Health Department Head Dr Keith Cloete said Covid-19 cases in the province have shown a steady increase since last month, and both hospitalisations and test positivity rates have increased. He said the proportion of positive tests was now at 16%, comparable to early May when the province experienced its ascending phase of the first wave.

“There has been a marked increase in daily hospital admissions since November 1 on both the Garden Route and in Cape Town metro," said Cloete.