20 December 2020

Hospitals in the Western Cape are currently under severe pressure. This is as a result of the sharp increase in patients requiring to be admitted with severe COVID-19 as well as the increase in non-COVID-19 trauma cases.

The bed status:
The 231 adult ICU/high care beds across hospitals are currently fluctuating between 80-100% total capacity daily (technically full) which is placing enormous pressure on the capability of all facilities. An additional 136 dedicated adult ICU COVID beds were made available, bringing the combined ICU/high care beds to 367.

As at 18 December there were 2 032 total Covid-19 patients in hospital of which 287 were in ICU/high care. However, the additional capacity made available requires resources to directed away from other services, meaning less capability for a particular health service to be rendered.

In addition, the 4 443 acute beds (excluding Maternity, Paediatric, Neonatal, Psychiatry beds, Red Cross, Mowbray and the TB hospitals) across the province are also taking strain with Metro hospitals operating at 78% and Rural hospitals at 89%.

The various bed totals change daily and is monitored by the management teams at hospitals.

Clinical decision-making during peak of pandemic
The protracted pressure on scarce health resources may result in possible delayed admission to hospital or the possibility that certain service packages cannot be rendered. To assist the teams the Department has initiated ethics committees to support the clinical decision making. Both clinical decision making and access to certain care packages will, by necessity, be different to those experienced in normal day-to-day services – for both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients.

These are unprecedented times globally and require us to take unprecedented actions to support the most vulnerable patients. Senior management fully supports clinicians in this very difficult time as their decisions are guided by equity, fairness, dignity, and engagement. To further support our teams and the demand for services, an additional 829 dedicated COVID beds have been made available.

Providing additional intermediate capacity to lessen pressure on acute hospitals
The existing 487 intermediate care beds, which are being provided by Brackengate, Sonstraal and Freesia ward (Lentegeur) are also seeing an increase in admissions. Brackengate is nearing capacity (total of 264 admissions on 17 December).

To support these facilities, were will be creating an additional 263 beds within Lentegeur and Tygerberg Hospital. We have already started exploring/implementing certain plans to further expand our capacity to deal with the increased demand for hospitalisation. Each option is guided by the availability of suitable infrastructure and staff resources.

Staffing resources:
As demands are placed on our staffing resources, we have put the following measures in place to ensure that our staffing needs can be met:
1. Additional agency staff
2. Volunteers and bursary holders
3. Extra doctors
4. Redeployment of staff internal staff

Staff safety is given the highest priority during this high-pressure period. No effort is spared to ensure safety protocols are adhered to. We have also staggered leave arrangements to try to ensure that staff can have some rest and time with their families.

While we expand our bed capacity, we require the support of every citizen in the province to do their part by being safe.
• Always wear a mask when going out
• Avoid crowded places, confined spaces with poor ventilation and close contact
• Stay home if sick and arrange a test – isolate while you wait for your results
• Be careful about sharing your “air space” by avoiding crowds where you cannot keep 1.5m distance
• Having people over? Limit the size of your get-together (more people = more risk) and Keep them short (longer = more risk)

Overstrand (Cases, Recovered, Active)

Fisherhaven 21 | 21 | 0

Gansbaai 91 | 82 | 7 (and 2 deaths)

De Kelders 21 | 18 | 2 (and 1 death)

Blompark 86 | 81 | 4 (and 1 death)

Masakhane 184 | 168 | 13 (and 3 deaths)

Pearly Beach 20 | 16 | 3 (and 1 death)

Uilkraalsmond 6 | 4 | 1 (and 1 death)

Franskraal 20 | 14 | 6

Kleinbaai 5 | 2 | 2 (and 1 death)

Baardskeerdersbos 2 | 2 | 0

Hawston 152 | 134 | 14 (and 4 deaths)

Hermanus 296 | 237 | 53 (and 6 deaths)

Kleinmond 250 | 166 | 81 (and 3 deaths)

Mt Pleasant 175 | 158 | 14 (and 3 deaths)

Onrus 85 | 70 | 10 (and 5 deaths)

Sandbaai 80 | 59 | 21

Stanford 161 | 149 | 9 (and 3 deaths)

Vermont 36 | 23 | 13

Zwelihle 675 | 634 | 34 (and 7 deaths)

TOTAL 2366 | 2038 | 287 (and 41 deaths)

TWK (Cases, Recovered, Active)

Botrivier 113 | 94 | 16 (and 3 deaths)

Caledon 619 | 403 | 195 (and 21 deaths)

Elgin 59 | 36 | 20 (and 3 deaths)

Genadendal 70 | 45 | 24 (and 1 death)

Grabouw 913 | 727 | 155 (and 31 deaths)

Greyton 27 | 18 | 8 (and 1 death)

Riviersonderend 141 | 112 | 27 (and 2 deaths)

Villiersdorp 387 | 247 | 126 (and 14 deaths)

Voorstekraal 10 | 8 | 1 (and 1 death)

TOTAL 2339 | 1690 | 572 (and 77 deaths)

Swellendam (Cases, Recovered, Active)

Barrydale 42 | 35 | 6 (and 1 death)

Buffeljagsrivier 34 | 25 | 8 (and 1 death)

Suurbraak 27 | 24 | 1 (and 2 deaths)

Swellendam 420 | 323 | 90 (and 7 deaths)

TOTAL 523 | 407 | 105 (and 11 deaths)

Cape Agulhas (Cases, Recovered, Active)

Bredasdorp 474 | 356 | 106 (and 12 deaths)

Elim 51 | 30 | 20 (and 1 death)

Napier 91 | 72 | 16 (and 3 deaths)

Struisbaai 74 | 58 | 15 (and 1 death)

Waenhuiskrans 42 | 33 | 8 (and 1 death)

TOTAL 732 | 549 | 165 (and 18 deaths)

Update per town in the Overberg

Herewith the latest number of positive #Coronavirus cases for the Western Cape and the #Overberg (14 December).

• The Western Cape has 156,171 confirmed cases (as of 1pm today).

• In the Overberg, there are a total of 5498 cases (966 active cases).

• We can also report 142 deaths in the Overberg. Our sincere condolences go to the family and friends of the deceased.

UPDATE PER TOWN in the Overberg (Monday 14 December):

Here are the latest number of #Coronavirus cases per town in the Overberg. (Please respect the privacy and confidentiality of any active or past #COVID19 patients.)

Overstrand (Cases, Recovered, Active)

Fisherhaven 21 | 19 | 2

Gansbaai 86 | 79 | 5 (and 2 deaths)

De Kelders 20 | 18 | 1 (and 1 death)

Blompark 86 | 79 | 6 (and 1 death)

Masakhane 179 | 163 | 13 (and 3 deaths)

Pearly Beach 19 | 16 | 2 (and 1 death)

Uilkraalsmond 5 | 3 | 1 (and 1 death)

Franskraal 19 | 14 | 5

Kleinbaai 4 | 2 | 1 (and 1 death)

Baardskeerdersbos 2 | 2 | 0

Hawston 150 | 127 | 19 (and 4 deaths)

Hermanus 268 | 230 | 32 (and 6 deaths)

Kleinmond 220 | 149 | 68 (and 3 deaths)

Mt Pleasant 168 | 157 | 8 (and 3 deaths)

Onrus 79 | 68 | 6 (and 5 deaths)

Sandbaai 66 | 57 | 9

Stanford 157 | 148 | 6 (and 3 deaths)

Vermont 28 | 23 | 5

Zwelihle 654 | 629 | 18 (and 7 deaths)

TOTAL 2231 | 1983 | 207 (and 41 deaths)

TWK (Cases, Recovered, Active)

Botrivier 107 | 90 | 14 (and 3 deaths)

Caledon 551 | 359 | 172 (and 20 deaths)

Elgin 51 | 36 | 12 (and 3 deaths)

Genadendal 61 | 41 | 19 (and 1 death)

Grabouw 847 | 688 | 128 (and 31 deaths)

Greyton 23 | 16 | 6 (and 1 death)

Riviersonderend 129 | 105 | 22 (and 2 deaths)

Villiersdorp 350 | 201 | 136 (and 13 deaths)

Voorstekraal 10 | 7 | 2 (and 1 death)

TOTAL 2129 | 1543 | 511 (and 75 deaths)

Swellendam (Cases, Recovered, Active)

Barrydale 42 | 33 | 8 (and 1 death)

Buffeljagsrivier 30 | 22 | 7 (and 1 death)

Suurbraak 26 | 24 | 0 (and 2 death)

Swellendam 378 | 319 | 53 (and 6 deaths)

TOTAL 476 | 398 | 68 (and 10 deaths)

Cape Agulhas (Cases, Recovered, Active)

Bredasdorp 424 | 307 | 106 (and 11 deaths)

Elim 46 | 15 | 30 (and 1 death)

Napier 85 | 60 | 22 (and 3 deaths)

Struisbaai 69 | 54 | 15

Waenhuiskrans 38 | 30 | 7 (and 1 death)

TOTAL 662 | 466 | 180 (and 16 deaths)

Notice is hereby given that the Overberg District Municipality’s offices will be closed over the holiday period as follows:

ODM Administrative Offices
The administrative offices will be closed for the period 28 December 2020 to 31 December 2020, and will re-open on 4 January 2020.
NB - The offices will close at 13h00 on 24 December.

ODM Roads Department
The Roads Department closes annually to coincide with the builders’ holidays. The department closes on Friday, 18 December 2020 and re-opens again on Monday, 18 January 2020.
NB - All depots close at 11h00 on 18 December.

LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES

Swellendam Municipality: Offices will be closed at 12h00 on 24 December 2020 until 31 December 2020, subject to the continuation of essential services.

Cape Agulhas Municipality: All offices are closed for the period 28 December to 31 December 2020 subject to operational requirements.

Theewaterskloof Municipality: Offices will be closed for the period 28 December 2020 until 31 December 2020, subject to the requirement that essential services will remain in operation.

Overstrand Municipality: The municipality will remain operational for the period 28 December to 31 December 2020 as this will be the peak of the season and services are required to continue.

Call for applications from subsistence producers / farmers

The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development invites applications from subsistence producers / farmers to be supported through the Presidential Employment Stimulus Fund. The main objective of this initiative is to support employment of marginalised producers / farmers. The fund will enable subsistence producers / farmers to retain self-employment in the agricultural sector, thereby contributing to food security and economic growth.

Please CLICK HERE to view the advertisement for full details.

Published 2020-12-09

COUNCIL MEETING

Notice is hereby given that a Virtual Council meeting of the Overberg District Municipality will be held on Monday, 07 December 2020 at 11:00.
 

MR DP BERETTI
MUNICIPAL MANAGER
27.11.2020

Published 2020-11-30