The Western Cape province will have around 80 000 cases of Covid-19 by the first week of July, according to Premier Alan Winde.
The province is currently the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak in South Africa, with 9294 confirmed cases. This makes up 59.9% of the 15 515 total confirmed cases in the country. The death toll is also the highest in the country, with 149 deaths recorded to date in the Western Cape alone.
In an exclusive interview with Salaamedia, Premier Alan Winde said that current data-based models indicate that the number of cases in the province will soar to 80 000 within two months. "We are going to have 80 000 asymptomatic cases in the last week of June [and] first week of July. We are doubling our cases every eight days at the moment and we are monitoring that very closely." Winde said that while the lockdown is in place with a purpose, it is a "blunt instrument that is there to get your health response in place." The province has developed a targeted 'hotspot' strategy which aims to tackle the spread of Covid-19 in high population areas with high transmission rates. This won't stop the virus, he said, but will slow it. "We zoom into hotspots just to slow the virus. No matter what we do, we are not going to end the virus. We're not going to stop it - we've got to slow it." Winde said that he is confident that the Western Cape is prepared for the peak of the Covid-19 outbreak, which is expected between August and September, as the province has stepped up its health infrastructure. Additional hospital beds are to be set up in the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) as well as in three other facilities in Cape Town and Winelands. According to reports, the CTICC has agreed to waive the hire cost of the venue, as part of its contribution to the fight against coronavirus. The temporary infrastructure build, operating and catering costs for the initial hire period will total approximately R47 million. Winde pleaded with the public to play their part in fighting the coronavirus. He also thanked essential workers and charity organizations for their services. "We've all got to play our part. We all need to make sure that we are mitigating risks and protect those who are most vulnerable to society. My thanks to everyone who is involved in the response." Listen to the full discussion here:
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AuthorZahid Jadwat is a South African writer, columnist, podcaster and radio show host. Archives
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