There have been 19 more COVID-19 related deaths in the Western Cape, bringing the total number of deaths in the province to 276.
The Western Cape has 12 947 confirmed coronavirus cases, of which 6146 are active. 6525 patients have recovered. 114 869 tests have been conducted to date.
In a statement, Premier Alan Winde explains that there has been a marked increase in patients receiving care in Western Cape hospitals as the province moves towards the peak of infection. At the close of business yesterday, 557 patients were being treated in hospital, with 154 of these in ICU or high care.
“The Western Cape hospital system has the capacity to deal with the demand for hospital beds at this time,” said Winde. “In our preparedness planning, the province has taken into account all of the available beds in both the public and the private sector.”
“Our existing public sector capacity can provide 2162 acute beds, which includes 658 additional beds created through expansion. We are also bringing online 1428 additional intermediate care beds in our temporary or “field hospitals” in the Western Cape. Construction on the hospital facility at the CTICC, which will provide 850 of these beds, is well underway and on track for completion in the first week of June. Another 330 beds will be made available at a temporary hospital at Brakengate, 150 at the Cape Winelands Sonstraal Hospital, 68 at the Khayelitsha Thusong Centre, and 30 additional beds at Tygerberg hospital.”
“In the critical care space (ICU and high care), we will reach a total of 850 ICU beds in the province, the majority of which already exist. We currently have 150 existing beds at public healthcare facilities. An additional 100 beds are being added. We have also arranged to purchase 300 ICU beds from the private sector for public sector patients. The private sector also has an additional 300 ICU beds available in addition to these.”
Winde warns that although the vast majority of cases will not require hospitalisation, they do predict that the province will fall short of ICU beds in both private and public hospitals.
The breakdown of cases in the province is as follows:
*Please note that the date on the one map is incorrect but the data is correct.
Picture: Unsplash
