Western Cape COVID-19 test positivity rate below 10%

The Western Cape is currently showing a COVID-19 test positivity rate of below 10%, along with a decrease in the demand for testing at public and private laboratories.

This means that there are fewer people testing positive for Covid-19 in the province and efforts to combat the pandemic continue to prove successful as more sectors are opening. The decline is further reflected in the Hospital Admission Rate which currently stands at under 5%. 

As of Monday, 504 patients were in hospital, with 111 of these in ICU or high care. The Western Cape currently has 113 032 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, with the death toll in the province standing at 4 260. 105 136 people recovered from the coronavirus in the Western Cape.

The Democratic Alliance’s Western Cape Health Spokesperson, Wendy Philander, urged citizens to follow the necessary health protocols.

“I still urge residents to maintain social distancing and good hygiene, as the Coronavirus remains with us for the foreseeable future. It is important that we get back to work and restore dignity, but it is also vital that we remain vigilant against the virus and to prevent a second wave of infections.’’

As of last week, the rate of cases in the country as a whole declined from approximately 10 000 to 1 000 new cases per day.

‘’This means that hospitals are able to recalibrate elective surgeries and clinal services. The provincial department of Health indicated that they have scaled up procedures along with prioritising urgent operations whilst remaining vigilant to manage Covid-19 at public health facilities,’’ Philander added.

 

Done By: Mitchum George