Western Cape's 310 Covid-19 cases broken down by area

Western Cape premier Alan Winde said on Sunday that the province had recorded 310 Covid-19 infections as of Sunday and most fell within the city of Cape Town.

Khayelitsha has recorded its first case.

“We have seen another increase in the number of residents admitted to hospital as a result of the virus, with 14 currently hospitalised, three of these in intensive care,” he said in a statement on Sunday.

“Today we have started providing subdistrict information across the Western Cape, including in the city of Cape Town. The stats show us that this virus is spreading, reaching communities across our province. Each and every one these cases, from Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain to Mossel Bay — is of very serious concern for my government.”

He said response teams were urgently tackling the development of cases in informal areas, tracing contacts and ensuring isolation.

“We appeal to the public to not stigmatise this virus — no-one is immune, and we ask for understanding and assistance to those in need of help. Mostly, if we are [to] break its spread, we need to be open about it. These stats again demonstrate why abiding by this lockdown is so essential. If we are to #stopthespread, we must stay home, in our homes, and limit contact with other people.”

Provincial health minister Nomafrench Mbombo said: “Wearing a mask or gloves when going to the supermarket or pharmacy to buy essentials, is ineffective, unnecessary, and will not protect you from the coronavirus. In fact, it spreads the virus faster because it makes you a carrier from one person to another, it also gives false security that you don’t need to wash or sanitise your hands.”

She added: “Personal protective equipment (PPE) is a scarce commodity and should be used appropriately and by the appropriate people. If you are not ill and not in close contact with someone who has coronavirus, you do not need to wear a mask or gloves.”

Providing a breakdown of infections by district, Winde said the city of Cape Town had 256, the Cape winelands 17, the Garden Route 21 and the Overberg seven.

A breakdown of cases for Cape Town metro sub districts revealed the following numbers:

Western — 106

Southern — 98

Northern — 16

Tygerberg — 15

Eastern — 10

Klipfontein — 5

Mitchells Plain — 5

Khayelitsha — 1

Other subdistricts indicated the following numbers:

Bitou — 9

Stellenbosch — 8

Drakenstein — 6

George — 6

Overstrand — 5

Breede Valley — 3

Hessequa — 3

Mossel Bay — 3

Swellendam — 1

Theewaterskloof — 1

There were an additional nine cases where district information was still pending or not yet verified.