Media Briefing On Western Cape Readiness for COVID-19

Following the diagnosis of a patient with COVID-19 in Nigeria, the first patient in Sub-Saharan Africa, Western Cape Government Health is hosting a media briefing on Monday, 2 March, to detail provincial readiness and the measures put into place to address COVID-19 in the Western Cape.               

Date:       Monday, 2 March 2020

Venue:    Media Room, Ground Floor, Western Cape Legislature, 15 Wale Street, Cape Town

Time:       14:30

Please note: The media briefing will also be live streamed on Facebook via the Western Cape Government Health’s Facebook page. Click here to follow the live stream on Monday, 2 March 2020, at 14:30: https://www.facebook.com/WCGHealth/.

Quick facts about COVID-19

• A new Coronavirus called COVID-19 was identified in China and is associated with an outbreak of pneumonia.
• COVID-19 spreads mainly via respiratory droplets through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
• COVID-19 can also spread through personal contact and when touching an object or surface with the virus on it and then touching your mouth, nose or eyes.
• Symptoms include mild to severe respiratory illness with fever, cough, sore throat, and difficulty breathing.
• There is no specific anti-viral treatment or vaccines available.
• Protect yourself and others by washing your hands often, avoid touching unwashed hands, avoiding close contact with infected people, and covering your cough or sneeze.

For more information on COVID-19, please contact the general public hotline on 011 386 2000 (it operates from Monday to Friday, 08:00 – 16:00) or visit: www.westerncape.gov.za/coronavirus.

More information on COVID-19 also available here:

Addressing fake news and myths: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/myth-busters

Protecting yourself against COVID-19: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public

Frequently asked questions: https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses