Continue to wash your hands.
There has been a marked increase of 73% in new Covid-19 cases and 28% in new Covid-19 deaths in the span of a week since Friday November 20 to Friday 27 November for the Cape Metro.
The information comes from the Western Cape Health Department who’s local surveillance team has indicated that gatherings at social events, going to shopping centres while not adhering to protective measures such as wearing a mask and keeping a distance, has led to quite a few positive Covid-19 casessaid department spokesperson, Monique Johnstone.
She said it paints a clear picture why the Cape Metropole has been deemed as having established a resurgence of cases:
Ms Johnstone said health sub-districts in the metro which are of great concern are Southern, an 87% increase, Mitchell’s Plain, a 185% increase and Khayelitsha, a 92% increase – have recorded the greatest number of new cases this week.
As during the first wave of infections, once community transmission is established within communities, especially in the metro, the situation can quickly deteriorate if not brought under control soon.
The department called on the residents of each of these sub-districts and as a collective to do their part so that the situation can be brought under control again.
“We all have a role to play through our own actions. Our behaviour will be influenced once we acknowledge and accept that the virus is not gone but will be with us over the holidays and beyond,” Ms Johnstone said.
Covid-19 protocols
- Wearing a mask properly is of life-saving importance. You must always wear your mask when outside of your home. There can be no exceptions.
- You must avoid crowded and confined spaces at all costs. This is where super-spreading takes place.
- You must urgently reconsider hosting all non-essential gatherings of people this year, especially indoor gatherings with poor ventilation.
- You must ensure there is always good ventilation whenever you’re in public. The virus droplets spread by air in confined spaces, and so fresher is better.
- You must wash your hands regularly with soap and water or use sanitiser.
- If you feel sick, you should not leave your home unless it is to get healthcare treatment. You must first call the provincial hotline number on 080 928 4102 for guidance on the next steps.
- You should also not visit someone who is sick, and find other ways to provide support, like delivering a meal to a neighbour’s doorstep.
- Every single resident should assume that Covid-19 is everywhere they go and take all the necessary precautions at every point along their journey.