Coronavirus - South Africa: Premier Alan Winde on Coronavirus COVID-19 update for 4 August

Total confirmed COVID-19 cases 95904 Total recoveries 82447 Total deaths 3236 Total active cases (currently infected patients) 10 221 Tests conducted 425143 Hospitalisations 1360 with 289 in ICU or high care

Cape Metro Sub-districts:

Sub-district Cases Recoveries Western 7978 6927 Southern 8280 7166 Northern 5478 4925 Tygerberg 11648 10261 Eastern 8638 7536 Klipfontein 8309 7243 Mitchells Plain 7481 6475 Khayelitsha 7795 7077 Total 65607 57610

Sub-districts:

District Sub-district Cases Recoveries Garden Route Bitou 435 307 Garden Route Knysna 1055 755 Garden Route George 2717 1999 Garden Route Hessequa 180 113 Garden Route Kannaland 56 47 Garden Route Mossel Bay 1483 990 Garden Route Oudsthoorn 585 311 Cape Winelands Stellenbosch 1834 1586 Cape Winelands Drakenstein 3892 3441 Cape Winelands Breede Valley 2831 2453 Cape Winelands Langeberg 1003 851 Cape Winelands Witzenberg 1324 1057 Overberg Overstrand 1388 1229 Overberg Cape Agulhas 215 158 Overberg Swellendam 243 216 Overberg Theewaterskloof 1000 843 West Coast Bergrivier 360 288 West Coast Cederberg 124 83 West Coast Matzikama 237 172 West Coast Saldanha Bay Municipality 1177 1003 West Coast Swartland 1229 985 Central Karoo Beaufort West 302 136 Central Karoo Laingsburg 32 21 Central Karoo Prince Albert 6 1

Unallocated: 6028 (5123 recovered)

Data note:It is not always possible to check and verify that the address data supplied for each new recorded case is correct, within the time frames required to provide regular and timely updates. This means that in some instances, cases could be allocated to the wrong sub-districts. We are working with the sub-districts to clean and verify the data and where errors are picked up locally, cases will be re-allocated to the correct areas.

More data is available here:https://bit.ly/2BsfdXt

The Western Cape has recorded an additional 93 deaths, bringing the total number of COVID-19 related deaths in the province to 3236. Of these, 33 deaths are new deaths. The remaining 60 deaths form a backlog of people who had died at home, and not at a healthcare facility. This data was received from the NICD last night and added to today's totals. As part of our efforts to ensure that we are tracking deaths as accurately as possible, we are working closely with the NICD to ensure that any excess natural deaths are recorded and accounted for.We send our condolences to the loved ones of all the deceased at this time.

COVID-19 on the Garden Route:

While we are seeing some promising signs of a decline in infections, hospitalisations and deaths in some parts of the province, the Garden Route is still recording an increase in the numbers of infections and hospitalisations.

As a result, we are experiencing increased pressure on our healthcare systems in the Garden Route region, specifically in the demand for high care and ICU treatment.

We believe that many areas across the province are at different stages in their infection curve and the Garden Route may not yet have reached its peak. It is therefore important that we all continue to work hard to ensure that we can slow the spread across the entire province.

The Western Cape Government is committed ensuring that we are able to manage this peak in the same way we managed the peak in the Metro and will be applying lessons learned, and boosting resources to the region.

The Western Cape Department of Health will therefore be allocating additional resources to hospitals in the region- including additional staff and the equipment necessary to administer high flow nasal oxygen. Oudsthoorn and Knsyna hospitals have already received equipment which is in use.

High flow nasal oxygen has helped to relieve the pressure on ICU and and high care facilities in the metro region as it can be administered in an acute setting, under the correct supervision.

Our hotspot interventions also continue in this region. Some of these include increased communications in communities using radio, street pole posters, and loudhailing. Public and high traffic areas are also being sanitized and EPWP workers have been assigned to ensure social distancing in public places.

The Garden Route District Municipality's environmental health practitioners are also conducting visits to the homes of people who have tested positive and their close contacts to check that they are self-isolating, and are attending COVID-19 funerals to ensure protocols are being adhered to. They will also focus on reinforcing training of funeral undertakers to ensure that the correct procedures are being followed.

Minister of Transport and Public Works, Bonginkosi Madikizela will be visiting the region over the long weekend. He will conduct roadblocks in Bitou, Knysna and George. Being a long-weekend, he will be checking that long distance taxis are complying with the 70% loading regulations- he will also be conducting visits to Western Cape transport and health facilities in Knysna and George.

Minister of Health, Nomafrench Mbombo has scheduled a four day visit to the region for next week where she will be conducting oversight visits and community engagements across the district.These community engagements will be aimed at bringing about behaviour change, which is key to slowing the spread.

To this end, we appeal to all residents of the Garden Route to continue to take all the necessary precautions to protect themselves and their loved ones.

Issued by: Western Cape Office of the Premier

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of South African Government.