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Disaster Management

15 October 2021 Update: Avian Influenza outbreak


Update: Avian Influenza outbreak

For Immediate Release
15 October 2021

Western Cape authorities continue to respond to an outbreak of Avian Influenza amongst wild seabirds, primarily along parts of the West Coast but also in parts of the Overberg. Clean up operations will continue over the weekend.

The Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Anton Bredell, says it remains critical to conduct thorough clean up operations and to work hard and fast to prevent the spreading of the virus to other sectors of the province.

“Teams are still collecting dead and sick birds from areas where infection has been reported. We are keeping an eye on Dyer Island where clean up teams yesterday picked up 1595 dead birds. However, the situation in Bergriver Municipality area appears to be improving. From 1500 dead birds collected on Wednesday, we only collected 100 yesterday. In addition, our partners have reported no more carcasses have been found on Robben Island yesterday but they will check again today. We are hoping this trend continues dropping today and over the weekend.”

Bredell says a disposal site has been identified and prepared for the disposal of the infected wild bird carcasses. Veterinarians also continue providing assistance. Officials are following advice provided by Veterinary Services in terms of how to manage the sick birds.

“I want to thank all our workers and partners who mobilized rapidly to help and continue to work hard to stop the spread of this virus. I also want to repeat this critical message to the public: Please do not approach or touch any sick or dead birds. If you spot a bird behaving strangely, or a dead bird, please call the closest municipal office, conservation authority or your local vet.

Contact details for state veterinarians are available at https://www.elsenburg.com/services-and-programmes/veterinary-services-0#s=Animal-Health-and-Disease-Control

ENDS

Media enquiries:
James-Brent Styan
Spokesperson for the Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Anton Bredell

Mobile:                   084 583 1670
Telephone:            021 483 2820
E-mail:                    James-Brent.Styan@westerncape.gov.za

14 October 2021 Urgent Alert: Suspected outbreak of Avian Influenza

Urgent Alert: Suspected outbreak of Avian Influenza

For Immediate Release
14 October 2021

Western Cape authorities are responding to a suspected outbreak of Avian Influenza amongst wild seabirds in the Bergrivier Municipality on the West Coast as well as the Walker Bay area in the Overberg. All disaster nodes have been alerted and Bergrivier Municipality, both the Overberg and West Coast District Municipalities and CapeNature have already deployed teams of officials to collect the dead and sick birds. Veterinarians are on scene assisting and officials are following advice provided by Veterinary Services in terms of how to manage the sick birds.

The Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Anton Bredell, is urging the public to avoid the area and in particular not to collect or touch sick or dead birds. “It is critical to prevent the spread of the disease. This means people must not attempt to assist or transport any sick birds, even to take them to rehabilitation centres and veterinarians as this could spread the disease. It is critical to keep a controlled environment.”

At the moment, Bergrivier Municipality remains the hotspot area with reports of dead birds from Velddrif to Arniston. Neighbouring municipalities have been alerted and urged to be cautious and to keep an eye out for potential spreading of the disease. There are additional hotspots on Dyer island and Robben Island which are receiving attention. The Western Cape Disaster Management Centre is currently doing an assessment to determine if the outbreak constitutes a disaster or not.

“This is a serious situation. We note that the deaths are occurring currently amongst endangered wild birds including cormorants. Yesterday alone an estimated 1500 dead cormorants were collected in the region.”

The current virus strain was detected in wild birds in May 2021, mainly affecting gulls. The first cormorants were only diagnosed with the disease in mid-September and cases have increased rapidly over the past week.

“This is an incurable disease affecting birds, that is not preventative, cannot be treated and is highly contagious to birds,” says Bredell.

There is also currently no evidence that this virus poses any risk or threat to humans. However, humans can transmit the virus from sick birds to other birds if their clothes or hands gets contaminated. People are advised not to handle the birds at all unless it is absolutely unavoidable and in that instance to please use gloves and face masks.

The Disaster Management Centre urges the public to be vigilant and report unusual mortalities in any birds to their local municipality, conservation authority or state veterinarian.

Contact details for state veterinarians are available at:
https://www.elsenburg.com/services-and-programmes/veterinary-services-0#s=Animal-Health-and-Disease-Control

ENDS

Media enquiries:
James-Brent Styan
Spokesperson: Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs & Development Planning, Anton Bredell
Mobile:  084 583 1670
Telephone:  021 483 2820
E-mail:  James-Brent.Styan@westerncape.gov.za

27 September 2021 Media Release: Vaccination Weekend Garden Route

Media Release: Vaccination Weekend Garden Route

27 September 2021

The Vooma Vaccination Weekend is on our doorstep, taking place from 1 to 3 October nationally.  The aim of this vaccination drive is to vaccinate 70% of adults by the end of the year – that’s 17 million more people. If we achieve that, projections are that we will save at least 20 000 lives.

The Garden Route has administered 256 879 vaccines to date.  The percentage of the Garden Route population over 18 years who have received at least one dose vaccine stands at 41% . If you are 18 or older, don’t wait any longer! Go and get vaccinated at a site near you. The vaccination is free to everyone living in South Africa, whether you are a South African or from another country.

VOOMA Weekend Sites: 

COVID cases

The district is still showing a decrease in the total number of new cases over the last 7 days compared to 7 – 14 days ago. George Regional Hospital is also experiencing decreased pressure in wards as well as the critical care unit. Today there are 26 COVID patients in the COVID ward and 10 patients in the critical care unit. Harry Comay Hospital, a step-down facility for George Hospital has 7 COVID-19 patients. All district hospitals have decreased pressure except for Oudtshoorn Hospital, which although less busy, still has a high number of COVID inpatients.

Phumla Priscilla Mantwana (62) is a take-away and accommodation owner in Kwanokuthula, Plettenberg Bay and has been vaccinated.

“I live with my two son’s and rent out two spare rooms for temporary rentals and also sell fast food take-aways to my community. I took the vaccine because I believe in safety first for my kids and my customers. My businesses are my daily bread. I have to be up every day receiving and talking to people. I don’t want to die and leave my kids without nothing to depend on”, she said.

The Garden Route currently has one quarantine and isolation site, PetroSA. Gateway Lodge in George has been decommissioned.

COVID stats as of 27 September 2021.

Caption: Phumla Mantwana opted to get the vaccine for financial security.

-END-

Nadia Ferreira
Principal Communications Officer
Garden Route and Central Karoo Districts
Western Cape Government Health
Email: Nadia.Ferreira@westerncape.gov.za
Website: www.westerncape.gov.za

19 July 2021 Impact Based Warnings: Disruptive Waves, Winds, Snow & Rain

Impact Based Warnings: Disruptive Waves, Winds, Snow & Rain

The Cape Town Weather Office has issued the following Impact Based Warnings for Disruptive Wind, Waves, Snow and Rain:

Report any weather related incidents to the Garden Route District Disaster Management Centre at 044-805 5071.

Legal notice:
“This warning from SA Weather Service must be communicated as received and may not be altered under any circumstance. It must be forwarded or communicated in its entirety and no portion hereof may be replicated or copied and distributed.”

ENDS

13 July 2021 Media Release: Development of a strategic framework for an alien and invasive biomass economy

Media Release: Development of a strategic framework for an alien and invasive biomass economy

For Immediate Release
13 July 2021

Announcement and invitation to participate: Development of a strategic framework for an alien and invasive biomass economy in RSA 

A new initiative to develop a strategic framework for an alien and invasive biomass economy was initiated in June. The purpose of the initiative is to identify and unlock the opportunities of an invasive and alien biomass economy in South Africa that targets problematic alien and invasive woody biomass through ecosystem rehabilitation.

The clearing of alien and invasive woody biomass provides opportunities for developing green value chains that will support the restoration of ecosystems for climate change adaptation and mitigation, catalyse private sector financing and provide energy alternatives, amongst other uses. The initiative will support the uptake of an economy around the biomass use with the aim to support the creation of jobs.

“Every day, thousands of South Africans set out to the countryside, town and city perimeters to harvest significant amounts of invasive alien plant biomass in order to transform it into something useful which can be marketed and sold on any scale and format, or to simply utilise as firewood at their households,” says Cobus Meiring of the Southern Cape Landowners Initiative (SCLI).

“But exactly how big is the industry dependent on invasive alien, as well as invasive but indigenous bush encroachment biomass in South Africa? How deep and valuable is the market for products derived from these plants and trees? How do we go about giving the alien and invasive biomass industry a voice and assist it in growing in order to be more sustainable and to make an even more meaningful contribution to the fast-emerging green, circular and climate-ready economy.”

“To get a better understanding of these questions, SCLI, with support from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) and its partners, is embarking on a process aimed at developing a strategic framework for the purpose of advancing the biomass industry in South Africa. The ultimate aim is to come up with a strategic framework and action plan, and a roadmap to the establishment of a National Biomass Industry Platform in the country,” says Meiring.

SCLI invites all who work directly and indirectly with invasive alien plant/tree material to support the initiative and join the series of national dialogues on the biomass economy.

Stakeholders in the biomass economy value-chain include entities or individuals involved in related research, the biomass-to-energy industry, timber manufacturers for the building and woodwork industries, companies manufacturing wood chips and shavings for example, for the poultry industry, manufacturers of sawdust, and companies producing charcoal from wattle and other types of invasive infestations. Businesses in the biochar, industrial-scale composting, harvesting equipment and transport services sectors are all encouraged to join in and provide critical input within the next few months, seeing that the baseline study will be concluded in October 2021.

Other stakeholders include South Africa’s national, regional and local authorities, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), water boards, water catchment agencies, mining companies, agricultural bodies and the forestry industry.

“Groups and individuals are encouraged to list their interests and concerns, make suggestions and make their voices heard,” says Meiring.

As a result of Covid-19 restrictions, the standard public participation processes, including extensive face-to-face interaction and meetings countrywide used to develop a strategic framework such as the biomass industry is just not feasible and for this purpose, a series of virtual dialogues is planned for those interested. The virtual dialogues will take place between August and September.

The final topics/themes for virtual participation by interested and affected parties will be announced in due course and will be made available to all relevant stakeholders who are registered on the biomass economy strategic framework database.

To register as a stakeholder/participant, interested or affected party, please send an email with your full contact details to Louise Mare, email: louisamare@gmail.com or contact her by sending a WhatsApp message to 082 078 1629 during office hours.

For more information, please follow the link: https://www.scli.org.za/announcement-and-invitation-to-participate/

Photo/s:

High-volume manufacturers, industrial-scale companies, and small-scale businesses in the invasive alien plant biomass value chain are invited to contact the biomass economy study group through SCLI to register on the database for further engagement. Stakeholders can include invasive alien plant contractors, entrepreneurs creating products by making use of invasive alien biomass as base material, and landowners making available biomass for biomass harvesting on their land, be that indigenous or to reduce bush encroachment. (Photo: SCLI) 

MEDIA ENQUIRIES

Cobus Meiring, Chairperson, Southern Cape Landowners Initiative (SCLI) 

Cell: 083 626 7619

Email: cobus@naturalbridge.co.za

7 July 2021 Weather Alert: Impact Based Warning: Veld fire Conditions

Weather Alert: Impact Based Warning: Veld fire Conditions

The Cape Town Weather Office has issued the following Impact Based Warning.

Legal notice:
“This warning from SA Weather Service must be communicated as received and may not be altered under any circumstance.
It must be forwarded or communicated in its entirety and no portion hereof may be replicated or copied and distributed.”

Report any weather related incidents the Garden Route Disaster Management Centre at 044-805 5071.

ENDS

8 July 2021 Weather Alert: Impact Based Warning: Damaging Winds

Weather Alert: Impact Based Warning: Damaging Winds – 08 July 2021

The Cape Town Weather Office has issued the following Impact Based Warning for the Western Cape and Namaqua Region of Northern Cape.

Legal notice:
“This warning from SA Weather Service must be communicated as received and may not be altered under any circumstance.
It must be forwarded or communicated in its entirety and no portion hereof may be replicated or copied and distributed.”

Report any weather related incidents to the Garden Route Disaster Management Centre at 044 805 5071.

ENDS

2 July 2021 Media Release: Covid-19 Vaccines for over 50-year age group

Media Release: Covid-19 Vaccines for over 50-year age group

For Immediate Release
2 July 2021

As of 1 July 2021, the registration for COVID vaccination has opened on the EVDS for people over the age of 50 years. This is a positive step in our efforts to provide vaccine coverage to our population in the Western Cape.

The EVDS system is accepting registrations and is allocating appointments for the people over 50 years to be vaccinated. The SMS appointment notifications to people over the age of 50 years who have successfully registered, will commence on Friday, 2nd July to allow for scheduled appointments as from Monday, 5th July. Thus over 50-year-olds with valid appointments will be accepted at our vaccination sites.

As from Monday, 5th July, the EVDS system will allocate available appointment slots in the following order of priority:

Priority 1 – people 60 years and older requiring their 1st dose of Pfizer vaccine;

Priority 2 – people 60 years and older who are eligible for their 2nd dose of Pfizer vaccine (approximately 42 days after their 1st dose);

Priority 3 – people aged 50 -59 years requiring their 1st dose of Pfizer vaccine.

As usual, a limited numbers of walk-ins will be accommodated at the vaccination sites. The number of walk-ins depend on the available capacity and vaccine doses available at each individual site.

Although the over-50 age band is open, the Department remains committed to ensure we prioritise our most vulnerable. Thus people 60 years and older will be prioritised in the walk-in queues over people who are aged 50 -59 years.

Call for 60-years and older:

We urge any citizen 60 years and older who has not registered, or have not received an appointment, to please present to their closest public sector vaccination site for assisted registration and vaccination.  The first dose for 60-year and older remains the highest priority at the moment.

Safety first:

The country is currently in an established 3rd wave of COVID infections, and it is crucial that over-crowding be avoided at vaccination sites and that social distancing and mask wearing be strictly adhered to. Please adhere to local site protocols and staff directions for safety.

We thank the public for the co-operation and patience. Let’s work together to roll out the vaccines safely, efficiently and in a fair and dignified manner for all our citizens. Please watch your local media for more details or visit https://coronavirus.westerncape.gov.za/vaccine/

Issued: Western Cape Department of Health

ENDS

29 June 2021 Weather Alert: Impact Based Weather Warning: Damaging Winds

Weather Alert: Impact Based Weather Warning: Damaging Winds – 29 June 2021

The Cape Town Weather Office has issued the following impact based warning:

Hazard: Damaging Winds

Alert level: 6

Affected municipalities:  Beaufort-West, Bergriver, Bitou, Breede Valley, Cederberg, Drakenstein, George, Hantam, Hessequa, Kamiesberg, Kannaland, Karoo Hoogland, Knysna, Laingsburg, Langeberg, Matzikamma, Bergrivier, Cederberg, Kamiesberg, Matzikama, Nama Khoi, Mossel Bay, Richtersveld, Oudtshoorn, Prince Albert, Stellenbosch, Swellendam, Theewaterskloof and Witzenburg.

Valid from: 29/06/2021 at 16:00

Valid to: 30/06/2021 at 8:00

Report any weather related incidents to the Garden Route Disaster Management Centre at: 044-805 5071.

ENDS

28 June 2021 Weather Alert: Impact Based Weather Warning: Damaging Waves

Weather Alert: Impact Based Weather Warning: Damaging Waves – 28 June 2021

The Cape Town Weather Office has issued the following impact based warning:

Hazard: Damaging Waves

Alert level: 2

Affected municipalities: Bergrivier, Bitou, Cape Agulhas, Cederberg, City of Cape Town, George, Hessequa, Kammiesberg, Knysna, Matzikama, Mossel Bay, Nama Khoi, Overstrand, Richtersveld, Saldanha Bay, Swartland and Table Bay.

Valid from: 28/06/2021 at 1:00

Valid to: 29/06/2021 at 23:00

Report any weather related incidents to the Garden Route Disaster Management Centre at: 044 805 5071.

ENDS