cradock

The Western Cape Government said it is deeply concerned about the growing number of Covid-19 infections and hospitalisations in the province, which can now be considered as an established resurgence.

The provincial government said that a ‘resurgence’ is when the number of active cases increase, week-on-week, by more than 20%.

Over the last week alone, the province has witnessed a 52.1% jump in new cases, with an established pattern over time, it said.

“There is also now established community transmission of the virus again in this province, which means that it is spreading within communities at a faster rate.”

This growth is primarily driven by two districts in the Western Cape: the Garden Route and the Cape Metro.

“Last week, we issued a hotspot alert for the Garden Route, following an alarming growth of cases in the area. This surge has continued to gain momentum and there are now more active cases in George and Knysna sub-districts than at any point in the pandemic to date. ”

The City of Cape Town is following a similar trajectory to this region and looks to be about 10-14 days behind. The Western Cape government is therefore also issuing a hotspot alert for the metro.

“It is important to highlight that the growth in cases in the city is being recorded in every sub-district and is not being driven by any one area. This is verified by waste-water treatment testing.

“While the growth in cases province-wide has mainly been driven by these two districts, we are also worried about the Cape Winelands, which is starting to record a concerning number of new cases.

“The Overberg District, Central Karoo District and West Coast District are being closely monitored given their proximity to these hotspots.”

Increase in positive tests 

The established Covid-19 resurgence in the Western Cape is also reflected in the proportion of positive tests, which has now grown to 16%. This is comparable to the test positivity rate experienced in the Western Cape in early May 2020.

“My biggest concern is for our health platform, which is under growing pressure. We need to ensure that every person gets healthcare when they need it,” said premier Alan Winde.

“Hospitalisations reached a low of under 500 in September, and they have now reached 904 as of yesterday. There are currently 431 people in public hospitals and 473 in private hospitals in the Western Cape.”

In the last 24-hour reporting period alone, Winde said that the number of people being hospitalised for Covid-19 increased by a staggering 54 people.

“Our Brackengate Hospital of Hope, went from having just a few patients in September, to 109 as of today.

“In fact, since the start of November, Covid-19 hospitalisations across the province have increased by 63%. The private sector has increased by 94%, while the public sector has increased by 39%. ”

Critical care admissions have increased by 75% since the start of November. This is particularly concerning as an admission to a critical care unit is an indication of severe illness that might lead to death.

“We need every person in the Western Cape to help prevent a Lockdown and to ensure that there are enough empty beds in our hospitals for those who need them,” said Winde.

“We must be under no illusion as to how serious the situation is, and how quickly it can deteriorate further. ”

Fuller hospitals 

The Western Cape Government has intentionally reintroduced key healthcare services to facilities because we need to provide comprehensive care to everyone who needs it, not just those with Covid-19.

This means the province’s hospitals are already fuller than they were earlier this year, during the first wave of hospitalizations.

“We want to avoid at all costs having to once again de-escalate these essential services because this will have a detrimental impact on the health of our people. We have to save all lives, including those who don’t have Covid-19,” said Winde.

“We also cannot afford a Lockdown again, as is being witnessed in many European countries right now. Our economy simply cannot afford it. A lockdown would kill jobs and cause our humanitarian disaster to worsen. This will also cost lives in the future. ”

This means that the only option available is to bring the situation under control through individual actions.

“We have to do everything possible to ensure that we do not get infected by Covid-19 and that we do not spread Covid-19,” he said.

National cases 

South Africa’s national Covid-19 death toll reached the 21,000 mark after 115 more people lost their lives on Tuesday (24 November).

Of the additional deaths, 45 were recorded in the Eastern Cape, 20 in Free State, 19 in Gauteng, 16 in the Western Cape, 10 in Kwa-Zulu-Natal and five in the Northern Cape.

This brings the total number of fatalities to 21,083 since the Covid-19 pandemic started in March.

A total of 2,493 daily cases were reported, taking the total reported to 772,252. Recoveries have climbed to 716,444, leaving the country with a balance of 34,725 active cases.

According to the Health minister’s latest statistics, the Eastern Cape has the highest number of active cases at 8,512, followed by the Western Cape 7,880 and Free State 7,280.

KwaZulu-Natal has 5,645 active cases, Northern Cape 3,269, North West 1,230, Mpumalanga 373, Limpopo 373 and Gauteng 243.

“The cumulative number of tests conducted to date is 5,325,631 with 20,288 new tests conducted since the last report,” said Health minister Zweli Mkhize.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) is reporting 58,900,547 global confirmed cases of Covid-19, including 1,393,305 deaths.

---

Read: South Africa has moved from ICU to high-care: economist

Deon Meyer and Coenie de Villiers’ popular Karoo Suite shows, scheduled at the Atlantic Studios drive-in theatre for 10, 12 and 13 December 2020, will be moved out to early 2021. The decision to postpone was taken within the context of the sharp rise in Covid-19 infections in the Western Cape.

De Villiers says, “The severity of the pandemic’s impact cannot be emphasised enough. It is our civil duty to do everything in our power to curb the pandemic. New performance dates will be announced in the media as soon as possible.”

According to Prof. Brian Figaji, chair of the Suidoosterfees board, all good things are worth waiting for. “Given the current situation in the Western Cape and the reinstatement of a curfew, we have no choice but to postpone the productions. The Suidoosterfees and its partners – the Jakes Gerwel Foundation, KKNK, CTMA and Atlantic Studios – remain as committed as ever to the project. We would like to emphasise that the performances are postponed, not cancelled.”

People who have purchased tickets for the shows, can contact Computicket directly for refunds, or they can email the Suidoosterfees at Francois.Abrahams@media24.com to have tickets reallocated for 2021. Current ticketholders will be notified of new dates as soon as they become available. New dates will also be announced in the media and on social media platforms of the shows’ project partners.

Cape Town’s executive mayor, Dan Plato, reassures residents and visitors that shows will continue once the pandemic has been contained. “We are aware of the enormous pressures on the arts industry, and we remain committed with the Suidoosterfees to continue delivering ground-breaking work.”

Deon Meyer and Coenie de Villiers have long been devoted to the development of young people with talent. Proceeds from ticket sales will be invested in the expansion of the Suidoosterfees and the Jakes Gerwel Foundation’s songwriting mentorship programme, with future workshops extended to the Karoo and Cape Town. Participants of the development programme will have the opportunity to perform at the Suidoosterfees and KKNK.

For more information, contact Themba Mzondi at the 078 113 5216/ themba@sceproductions.co.za

More Hot Stories For You

In the global village of today nothing is sacred, so it’s not surprising that the world’s best scotch comes from Japan or that ‘tequila’ is being distilled in the Karoo.

A Scotsman is sitting on a bank of the River Spey in the Highlands of Scotland. He is weeping as he reads the 2020 World Whisky Awards and learns that  Hakushu, a Japanese whiskey, has been named the world’s best single malt.

Quality spirits that taste like the real thing

As he reaches into his sporran for a tissue, a sympathetic tourist asks why he is so mournful. He explains that Scotland’s leading distilleries and the magical waters of the Spey had failed Scotland. A Japanese amber liquid was now the world’s best single malt. 

“Agh,” says the tourist (who happens to be from Bloemfontein).” Don’t let it worry you too much. Imagine being Mexican and finding out that a woman in the Karoo has begun exporting tequila. Whisky is whisky and cactus are cactus, ou maat.”

And there you have it. A global village in which scotch is no longer scotch and champagne doesn’t come from just 76,000 acres in the north-eastern corner of France. Worst of all, port needn’t be Portuguese and sherry doesn’t have to come from Jerez in Andalusia, Spain.

Why you can’t call SA ‘tequila’ by that name

But, thanks to the politicians and marketers, who cling to the belief that national interest trumps  ‘local is better’, nobody these days can produce tipple and call it scotch, sherry, port or champagne.  This does save some dented national pride even though the imitator’s product tastes identical (or in the case of many brands of SA booze, better than the original) to the educated palate.      

But, as the tourist says, “cactus is cactus” so why shouldn’t tequila come from the Karoo for that matter? The common denominator is agave cactus, and whether it is grown in the Jalisco region of Mexico or the arid areas around Graaff-Reinet makes no difference.

So, because local ‘tequila’ can’t be called tequila, it is called Leonista and instead of Mayan-like decals and designs, it has a modern leopard artwork as a label. 

SA’s version of tequila a quality organic product

The major difference is that the distiller is not your archetype moustachioed, blanket-wrapped Mexican, but businesswoman Sarah Kennan who decided while visiting Mexico that anything done there could be done here.  

Before you could say “hairless chihuahua”, people were running around tapping the Karoo’s agave cactus and South Africa had a quality, certified organic product. 

All that is needed now is for South Africans to learn how to drink it properly. I am sure many of us have shuddered at the wannabee single malt drinker who ostentatiously orders a single malt and then splashes in some Coke. 

Best way to drink tequila

It’s the same with quality tequila. It should be sipped over a block of ice or in a margarita or used as a base for a cocktail, Kennan said, and she should know.

Despite the word tequila being taboo, Leonista is selling up a storm and its Leonista Blanco recently took gold in the US-based SIP Awards. Around the world fans now include the Japanese, Dutch, Taiwanese, Zimbabweans (who need the distraction) and Australians. 

Leonista is available as a Blanco, Reposado, Honey Reposado and Reposado Black at various liquor stores or directly from the Leonista website.

The province was in serious trouble following a huge outbreak of coronavirus infections in Nelson Mandela Bay and the Karoo, with the wave rapidly spreading to other parts of the province.

On Wednesday and Thursday, accompanied by his team and truckloads of personal protective equipment (PPE), Dr Imtiaz Sooliman arrived in Nelson Mandela Bay with a blank cheque for the metro’s frontline workers, a plan and a message to the government: Just give me 24 hours.

“I said to the doctors and nurses at the frontline: Give me your list. Tell me what you need. Add coffee. Add tea. Add Milo. Add cookies. You are treasured and we see you. The Eastern Cape is in very serious trouble. The statistics are not telling the full picture. This is much worse than the first wave. Tell us what you need. I will get everything… “

Three hours later he sent them shopping. “I said everything was approved. Go and buy exactly the right things that you need.”

The list he received clearly showed the lack of support the Nelson Mandela Bay hospitals were receiving. The teams needed coveralls, disposable gowns, shoes and…