GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - The Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) will reduce its staff component at the office to 50%, starting tomorrow, Tuesday 1 December, due to the spike in the number of Covid-19 cases and fatalities in the district.
This is according to a circular sent out to employees this morning by Garden Route Mayor Memory Booysen.
The reduction includes essential staff and political staff who will be working from home. "... further action might be taken tomorrow in the Extended Provincial Cabinet, I will report accordingly" said the mayor in the circular.
Booysen further expressed concern about the Covid-19 death toll of 14 over the past weekend. He said that to date, since the outbreak of Covid-19 in the district, 490 people succumbed to the virus.
Available oxygen at capacity
"Many still live with side effects that last for months. Our biggest concern at the moment is George, where active cases have increased to 1 828. This is an increase of 46,85% over the past month.
Our health systems are also now facing additional pressure, with oxygen provision capacity now reaching its maximum capacity," reads the circular.
3 682 active cases
According to the statistics released by the district disaster management centre this morning, the Garden Route now has 3 682 active cases.
Between 30 October and 30 November, 5 315 new cases have been reported.
In George, 2 295 new cases were reported for the month. A total of 103 deaths were recorded during this period.
Booysen said the GRDM Council and Western Cape Government are concerned that many Garden Routers are "behaving recklessly and irresponsibly, acting as if Covid-19 no longer exists".
Booysen urged residents and visitors to the region to continue to adhere to the health protocols of practising social distancing, wearing a mask in public and washing hands with water and soap or an alcohol-based sanitiser, and to avoid large gatherings.
"Please keep safe so that we can move forward together."
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