Recently, the Western Cape government has decided to ease the COVID-19 testing criteria. Anyone within the province who is symptomatic should be tested.
COVID-19 testing criteria now includes:
- All people with COVID-19 symptoms
- Pre-operative testing of coronavirus asymptomatic patients awaiting surgery.
- Natural deaths occurring at home who had coronavirus symptoms.
- Health care workers.
- Persons who previously tested positive but have developed new symptoms (90 days after their first test).
This testing criteria was expanded due to there no longer being backlogs within the National Health Laboratory Service.
Western Cape Premier Alan Winde announced that during September the laboratories were able to cope with the number of tests they had.
“Non-metro areas were not subject to the risk adjusted testing strategy and testing for all symptomatic people has continued throughout. The expansion of testing criteria in September saw an increase in the number of tests being conducted in the Western Cape, 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 currently stands at 38% of total capacity), gives us reliable evidence that infections in the province are still declining,” says Winde.
Even though this is the case, people are encouraged to practice good hand and surface hygiene, social distancing, and wear masks.
“There are no reliable tools which would help us to predict the likelihood, location or timing of a resurgence of COVID-19, and ongoing surveillance is key to helping us identify and understand emerging trends. The expanded testing criteria will allow us to more accurately track and manage infections in the province,” Winde said.
Which is why anyone who experiences any coronavirus symptoms should isolate themselves and get tested.
Patients with diabetes who test positive for COVID-19 will be contacted by the VECTOR team and closely monitored to ensure a speedy recovery.
Reducing the spread of the virus is very important, as we have to protect our economy, businesses and jobs.
