Provincial Head of Health, Dr Keith Cloete, said that as of Sunday, more than 1,100 people were admitted to hospital, with over 700 in Cape Town and 242 in the Garden Route.
FILE: A healthcare worker organises COVID-19 tests. Picture: AFP.
CAPE TOWN – Over the past week, there were more than 6,400 new infections.
Cape Town has seen an increase of more than 2,900 and the Garden Route has risen by more than 2,600.
Provincial Head of Health, Dr Keith Cloete, said that as of Sunday, more than 1,100 people were admitted to hospital, with over 700 in Cape Town and 242 in the Garden Route.
“…578 in the public sector, 526 in the private sector, so now, like the first time around in late May, when the public sector overtakes the private sector, that’s when the pressure on the public sector ramps up and we crossed that line over the weekend.”
He said that over the past few days, Groote Schuur and Tygerberg hospitals had been filling up very quickly, especially the intensive care unit.
“Tygerberg was under very big pressure yesterday, similarly with Groote Schuur, therefore we’re now preparing ourselves for a rapid increase in hospitalisations in the public sector, especially in the Cape Metro but you know that it is very tough in the Garden Route.”
Premier Alan Winde has met with his Cabinet and Disaster Management to discuss measures to help slow the spread of the virus.
“How do we get law enforcement to play a different role again? It saddens me that we have to take law enforcement away from fighting crime, which we already have a problem with and put them onto disciplining citizens because they’re not adhering to the rules.”
