Cape Town - More than 3 000 people have died from Covid-19 in the Western Cape.
The province has reported 3 009 deaths, in the latest update by Premier Alan Winde.
It has reported 10 915 active cases, 92 845 confirmed cases and 78 921 recoveries, as of 1pm on Thursday. 411 015 tests have been conducted.
So far, as many as 1 500 have been hospitalised due to the virus, with 280 patients in ICU or high care.
Winde said: “This province took the lockdown seriously, and used the time afforded to us by the hard lockdown to prepare our systems for the peak.
"The director-general, Dr Harry Malila and the Department of the Premier have led the way in this regard and have continued to play an important role in overseeing our hot-spot strategy to ensure that as we opened up more of our economy, we did not see a significant spike in new infections.”
Winde also welcomed the announcement by the Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane on the reopening of intra-provincial leisure accommodation, as well as the extension of the national curfew to 10pm, allowing restaurants to trade later.
“The alert level 3 restrictions have placed extreme pressure on some of the leading job creating sectors in the Western Cape, including the tourism and hospitality sector," he said.
"As a province, we believe that if we do not support businesses and allow them to reopen safely, we will face a second, equally serious, unemployment pandemic.”
Winde urged tourism establishments intending to reopen to adhere to all the safety measures required for a safe reopening.
Cape Argus