Health

(a) The total number of cases that have been recorded in the period 1 June 2021- 15 June 2021 -10 327

(b)(i) (ii) (iii)

Metro Overview: Cases by sub-district 1 June – 15 June 2021

Rural Overview- Cases by sub-district 1 June – 15 June 2021

Provincial resurgence- Cases by age 1 June -15 June 2021

Gender and age breakdown for all COVID-19

(c)(i) There were 1175 admissions over this period.

(ii) 187 deaths were recorded over this period.

(d)The Western Cape Government has established a trigger system that is guiding our response to the third wave, and we have activated its first trigger warning.

The trigger system aims to promote transparency using pre-defined markers which will guide our response, reduce transmissions and prepare health services.

The first trigger warning is activated where there is an increase in the demand for healthcare services over the past 14 to 21 days. During this phase, we also see that there are: 

• Large increases in daily cases by more than 20% for over a week;
• Overall test positivity is over 7% for over a 1 week;
• More than 15% of hospitals have over 10% of beds occupied by COVID-19 patients; and
• Over 50% increase in pre-COVID-19 hospital oxygen use.

The Western Cape Government has learnt from the second wave of infections and has kept advanced surveillance systems in place throughout the pandemic to ensure that we can rapidly scale up.

 Our 6-point 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 6-point plan focusses on:

1. Changing community behaviours to prevent infection;

2. Surveillance and outbreak response;

3. Scaling up the health platform’s COVID-19 capacity;

4. Maintaining comprehensive services;

5. Safeguarding and protecting the wellbeing of healthcare workers;

6. Continue with the vaccination roll out. 

We have enough bed capacity to respond to the increase in COVID-19 cases and assist those in need of intermediate care, high care or ICU. Through previous investments during the pandemic, we can bring online additional bed capacity, where needed. 

 In learning from previous waves, we have enhanced infrastructure at existing facilities so that facilities remain on standby to come online when necessary. We also continue to closely monitor the use of beds across our province, through a centrally coordinated and professional operation, known as the Bed Bureau Management System.

 In the Western Cape, the total general bed use rate is at 86%, of which the total COVID-19 bed use rate is at 24%.

 In preparation for the third wave, the Afrox Western Cape plant has committed to scaling up the provision of oxygen as required. At the same time, we will continue to monitor the use of oxygen   in the province over the coming weeks.

 Both the public and private sectors combined are using on average 31.21 tons of oxygen a day or 44.59% of the maximum production capacity. Across the public sector, we are using on average17.39 tons of oxygen a day.

 We must prioritise the safety and wellbeing of our healthcare workers if we are to prepare for and fight off the third wave.

 Previous waves have taken a significant toll on the wellbeing of our staff and we have put in place an employee wellbeing programme that provides onsite counselling to staff. To promote our healthcare workers sense of safety, we also provide personal protective equipment and are committed to improving our health and safety practices. 

 To ensure that we have enough staff during the peak of infections, where health workers most likely to become infected, we have appointed an additional 717 healthcare workers and support staff. They will assist with both COVID-19 treatment and in our vaccination campaign. Healthcare workers will also be offered rotational leave to rest between April and June 2021.

 We have assembled a vaccinator database to ensure that the vaccine rollout programme is not interrupted by the third wave. By 23 June, we identified 5561 vaccinators on our vaccine database, of which 3626 have already received the Provincial Department of health’s top-up training.

 We are continuing our vaccine programme among healthcare workers to promote resilience and hope. To date, we have vaccinated a total of 66.47% of our healthcare workers – this includes frontline and support staff.