5 new Covid-19 deaths in Western Cape

WESTERN CAPE NEWS - The Western Cape Province reported five new Covid-19 deaths on Tuesday 21 April.

Three men aged 43, 49 and 79 and two women aged 54 and 95 respectively succumbed to the virus. This brings the total number of deaths in the province to 22.

Five more Covid-19 cases were reported in the Garden Route district during the past week, bringing the total to 60 as of Tuesday 21 April at 17:00.
George reported one more case, an employee of Lancewood. No people have been hospitalised in George.

The Western Cape has 1 068 confirmed cases, of whom 229 have recovered.

The total active cases (currently infected patients) are 817. Of these, 43 are in hospital with 19 in ICU.

Of the national total of 3 465 confirmed cases, 58 people have died.

80 000 expected to become infected
During a Covid-19 update on Tuesday, Western Cape Premier Alan Winde said it is anticipated that about 80 000 people will become infected at the peak of the epidemic in the province. About 90% of those people are expected to recover.

When the peak of the crisis hits the province, an estimated shortage of 1 000 acute care beds (for moderate cases) and 750 critical care beds is expected, said Winde.

According to Health Department head Dr Keith Cloete, they are already working towards filling these gaps. Advanced plans are in place to create 1 300 bed spaces to over-provide for the moderate cases in field hospitals (intermediate care facilities). In addition, the public health sector facilities internally will create
1 697 beds for Covid-19 intermediate cases.

With regard to critical care beds, the public sector can only make available 150 extra beds, but talks are underway with the private sector regarding possible ICU beds that they can set aside to help meet this shortage.

Winde said to date 47 of the province's 14 000 health care workers have been infected with the virus.

"We have to protect them at all costs. They are being vaccinated against the flu and we must ensure that they have the necessary PPE (personal protective equipment)."PPE worth R44-million is in stock and PPE to the value of R185-million is on back order in preparation for when the peak hits. "The recruit-ment drive for volunteer health care workers has seen more than 1 000 volunteers coming forward," said Winde.

88,7% not in hospital
Cloete said 88,7% of the total cases reported to date in the province did not need hospitalisation, 8,4% were treated in a general ward, and 2,9% in ICU.
These percentages are helping them in planning for facilities when the infection peak strikes. The higher vulnerability of elderly people and people with comorbidity is also illustrated by the death statistics in the province. Currently eight doctors are positive with Covid-19 (three in the public sector, five in the private sector), 16 nurses (four in public sector, 12 in private sector) and 23 other workers (lab technicians, pharmacists, security guards, porters, etc, of whom 13 in the public sector and 10 in the private sector).