Cape Winelands COVID-19 update – 4 December

Over the past 7 days the Cape Winelands has seen an 72% increase in new COVID-19 cases and 3 new deaths. We urge the residents to remain cautious and vigilant.

Areas in the Cape Winelands which are of great concern are  Breede Valley (141%),andWitzenberg (117%). Stellenbosch (58%) has also increased compared to previous week.

New cases per subdistrict in the Cape Winelands:

Area	Active cases 14 days ago	New active cases over last seven days	Percentage increase
Breede Valley	51	123	141% Arrow
Drakenstein	58	76	31% Arrow
Langeberg	39	45	15% Arrow
Stellenbosch	67	106	58% Arrow
Witzenberg	42	91	117% Arrow
Cape Winelands	257	441	72% Arrow

Surveillance teams have noticed that members of the public are inclined to observe protective behaviour when they are in the workplace, but that it is discontinued as soon as they are off duty. It is very important that we remain vigilant against COVID-19 in all areas where we move. COVID-19 can spread in all areas and even from someone with very light symptoms. It requires us to adapt wherever we go.

In the Langeberg and Drakenstein areas there are reports of poor compliance to safety regulations when it comes to transport. Seasonal workers are often seen as being transported without measures like the wearing of masks and keeping a safe distance from each other. There is also concern over passengers using public transport like taxis without proper spacing in-between people and windows being closed.

It has been reported that sometimes individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 return to work despite being aware of their test results. We urge everyone to strictly follow the guidance that Contact Tracers give when they call you to confirm laboratories’ SMS of your positive result, or to inform you that you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive.

The Department of Health would like to thank the citizens in the Cape Winelands for ensuring that Black Friday did not turn into a super spreader event. The more people who are gathered in an enclosed environment where there is little fresh air and no chance of avoiding close contact with other people, the higher the risk of it turning into a super spreader event where a large number of people are infected with COVID-19. Together we managed to keep Black Friday a safe experience. We must keep this up to enjoy a holiday with as low a risk as possible of getting sick:

• Wear your mask when being in a vehicle with others – even if you are riding on the back. There must be a safe distance between you and other passengers. Keep the windows down so that there is fresh air.
• Do not ignore symptoms like a cough, sore throat and fever. Call your healthcare worker or the hotline.
• Follow the guidance of your healthcare worker and Contact Tracer. These guidelines will help you to recover and will keep others safe.
• Your chances of getting COVID-19 increase when you are indoors. The more people you gather with, the greater your chances of getting COVID-19, so choose to see fewer people at a time and preferably outside where there is fresh air.

To help support you with more information on staying safe, Western Cape Government Health promotors will be visible in these areas on 5 December:

• The Ceres Square area
• The area of Shoprite (corner of Russel & Porter Street) in Worcester
• The Shoprite and taxi rank area in Paarl
• The Shoprite area in Wellington
• The area of the pedestrian road bridge in Kayamandi