New Covid-19 testing criteria for the Western Cape: what you need to know

09 October 2020 - 08:50 By unathi nkanjeni
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Western Cape premier Alan Winde says the new testing criteria will include all people with coronavirus symptoms.
Western Cape premier Alan Winde says the new testing criteria will include all people with coronavirus symptoms.
Image: Trevor Samson

The Western Cape government has expanded its Covid-19 testing criteria to allow anyone in the Cape metro and rural regions of the province who is symptomatic to be tested.

Premier Alan Winde made the announcement on Thursday, saying the new testing criteria will now include all people with coronavirus symptoms.

The new criteria come after the province earlier introduced a risk-adjusted testing strategy in the metro region, due to severe testing backlogs.

In June, the province's health department said testing for the virus in the Cape Town Metropolitan area would be limited to high-risk individuals, such as people older than 55 with diabetes or hypertension and Covid-19 symptoms, and people younger than 55 with both underlying conditions and symptoms.

Speaking on CapeTalk at the time, the head of health at the provincial health department, Dr Keith Cloete, said, “If you’re younger than 55 and you have symptoms, assume you have Covid-19. After 14 days, you’ll be fine, there’s no purpose in getting a test.”

In September, testing was expanded to include preoperative patients (asymptomatic), natural deaths at home, as well as symptomatic public sector essential workers, prisoners, pupils and school staff, and workers in workplaces.

“Throughout this period, the laboratories have coped with capacity and we have therefore taken the decision to further expand testing. Non-metro areas were not subject to the risk-adjusted testing strategy and testing for all symptomatic people has continued throughout,” said Winde.

The new testing criteria now includes:

  • All people with coronavirus symptoms;
  • Pre-operative testing of coronavirus asymptomatic patients awaiting surgery;
  • Natural deaths occurring at home who had coronavirus symptoms;
  • Health care workers; and
  • People who previously tested positive, but have developed new symptoms (90 days after their first test). 

Average test positivity rate below 10%

Winde said the expansion of testing criteria in September saw an increase in the number of tests being conducted in the province, however, the average test positivity rate for the province has remained below 10%. 

“This, coupled with other indicators such as the number of deaths, hospitalisations, and oxygen consumption, which now stands at 38% of total capacity, gives us reliable evidence that infections in the province are still declining,” he said.

“This does not mean that we can let our guard down, and prevention measures such as mask-wearing, social distancing, and hand and surface hygiene continue to be important as we move forward.”

Resurgence of Covid-19

Winde said there are no reliable tools that can help predict the likelihood, location, or timing of a resurgence of Covid-19, but the expanded testing criteria would allow the government to more accurately track and manage infections in the province.

He said those who test positive will be admitted at the Hospital of Hope in Brackengate in Cape Town.

The hospital has capacity to care for more than 300 people and there are now 23 patients admitted there, he said.

“Careful case management and responsible behaviour by every one of us can help ensure the continued decline in Covid-19 cases in the province. Slowing the spread of Covid-19, is important to our recovery, as we must save jobs, and protect businesses and our economy,” he said.


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