Thread by @JacaNews

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde is holding a digital media briefing to provide an update on the Covid-19 situation in the province
#Covid19inSA

#Covid19inSA Winde: Our healthcare system is under severe pressure at this stage and this means pressure on our frontline health-workers.

Western Cape Premier Winde healthcare workers in the province are reporting severe strain, he says on his visits to different facilities he can see the strain so people need to do better.
#Covid19inSA

#Covid19InSA Winde: As citizens in this province, we have to make sure that we step up and play our part more than we have before.

#Covid19InSA Winde says the Western Cape health department is making decisions that will change how hospitals are working at the moment, making sure that non emergencies are attended to at the right places.

#Covid19InSA Winde says people need to make sure they don't attend gatherings. He says people should protect their bubbles and wear their masks and that they wear them properly.

#Covid19InSA Winde is done, health MEC, Nomafrenche Mbombo says at this stage there is no Jerusalema challenge to cheer them up. She says even if you play the song now, health-workers will not be cheer up because there is no lockdown.

#Covid19InSA Mbombo echo's Winde, she says the health system is severely constrained and even if more beds are made available, unfortunately there is no point if there are no health-workers.

#Covid19InSA Mbombo says health-workers are the first and also last line of defence. She says they need to be protected because they are needed. "Some of them will not even be able to be home to spend Christmas with their families.

#Covid19InSA Mbombo is done, Dr Keith Cloete is now giving a presentation on their festive five point plan.

#Covid19InSA Cloete says new cases are increasing rapidly including hospitalisations and deaths in the Western Cape