Cape Town – Increased screening and contact-tracing efforts in the Witzenberg municipality, a rural area with a large community of seasonal farmworkers, has led to it becoming a Covid-19 hot spot, with 100 new cases being reported on Tuesday.
The Witzenberg municipality comprises the five towns of Ceres, Tulbagh, Wolseley, Op-die-Berg and Prince Alfred Hamlet.
The Cape Town metropolitan area aside, this is five times as many coronavirus cases as any other municipality in the province. Health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo joined Covid-19 screening efforts in Ceres, 135km from Cape Town, on Tuesday.
Explaining the Western Cape's growing number of cases compared with other provinces, Premier Alan Winde said on Tuesday it “has identified clusters or 'hot spots' and has acted swiftly to screen and test around these hot spots, which has resulted in a higher proportion of positive tests”.
Mbombo is concerned that most cases in the Witzenberg area come from the agricultural sector.
"So what is the readiness of the employers, the farmers, he shopowners to prevent the spread? Because in one facility, for example, 26 cases that came out, they ended up infecting the community. So what is the readiness of the mayors and councillors also here."
Another worry is Khayelitsha, which had 205 cases at 5pm on Monday – up by 247% compared to a week ago and by 30% in the past 24 hours.
Overall, the Western Cape has 1 778 confirmed cases – up 4.6% in the past 24 hours, with the number of deaths in the province rising by two to 35.
Commenting on the figures in the Witzenberg municipality, Winde said: "We have been concentrating our screening and contact-tracing efforts in this area since the first cluster of cases emerged to make sure that we identify every single person identified with Covid-19."
"Every resident of Witzenberg has an important role to play in helping us stop the spread. It is essential that you stay home."
Winde said while he understands many seasonal farmworkers may be making plans to return home at this time of year, he urged them not to.
"At this time, it is best that they stay in the Western Cape and avoid travelling to other provinces.
"We urge all residents in the area to take the opportunity to be screened during our screening process. Those who are symptomatic will be tested.
"Anyone feeling ill or experiencing flu-like symptoms is urged to stay at home, and call the national or provincial hotlines (0800 029 999 or 021 928 4102) or to call ahead to their clinic before arriving."