28 new Covid-19 cases bring Western Cape's total to 446, says Winde

Another 28 people in the Western Cape have been diagnosed with Covid-19, premier Alan Winde said on Saturday.

The new cases bring the provincial total to 446, with 23 in hospital and nine in intensive care.

More than three-quarters of Western Cape patients are in Cape Town, with 45 in the Garden Route, 28 in the Cape winelands, 10 in the Overberg and three in the West Coast.

Thirteen cases have not been allocated to a geographic area. The Central Karoo still has no confirmed cases.

Winde said community screening had begun on Saturday in two areas of Cape Town, and would be rolled out to several more on Monday and Tuesday.

“Credit must be given to the teams at the department of health who are implementing this programme so quickly,” he said.

Community health care workers were identifiable by their uniforms and ID cards.

“Members of the public are advised to request the person's credentials as part of rigorous safety precautions,” said Winde.

“We urge community members to welcome the community health workers and to co-operate with them.”

The premier said he took part in a meeting on Saturday of the president’s co-ordinating council.

“I used the opportunity to raise concerns regarding incidents of police brutality. These incidents must be condemned, and we urge all those with complaints to please report these to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate as soon as possible,” he said.

“On the discussion on regulations, I requested a common-sense approach that would allow, for example, equipment needed for e-learning for students to be purchased during the lockdown.

“We have officially sent a list of issues that would require clarification to [co-operative governance and tradition affairs minister] Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, and we are looking forward to further discussions so that clarity can be provided.”

Winde said the first repatriation flight for foreigners left Cape Town International Airport on Friday afternoon, taking 277 Germans to Frankfurt. A flight to Munich was due to leave on Saturday.