Western Cape hospitals hail level 3 regulations as province records drop in trauma cases

The Western Cape provincial government says the regulations have eased the burden on the healthcare sector.  

Alcohol sales were capped in December after President Cyril Ramaphosa effected level 3 of the lockdown to manage Covid-19 infections over the festive season. 

Statistics from hospitals across the province show a drop in alcohol-related trauma cases over Christmas and New Year’s. 

The Head Of Department for Health Keith Cloete says the regulations made a significant contribution in freeing up space in hospitals.  

“Before we had these regulations, we knew that with every lifting of the regulations, there was an increase in trauma as measures at our five sentinel hospitals. When we had the restrictions in on 15 December, there was some reduction, but it was not significant. 

“Between 75 and 157 patients were brought into the five major hospitals per day before the booze ban. 

“Immediately after the alcohol ban, which is from 28 December to 3 January, the average dropped from 74 to 39 patients per day across the five hospitals. 

“The maximum drop from 157 patients on Boxing Day to 66 patients on New Years Day so that is an average decrease of 47 per cent, almost 50 per cent week on week and the maximum was almost 60 per cent if you take Boxing Day to New Year’s Day,” Cloete added. 

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A comparison of the 2019 and 2020 festive periods also show some relief on the healthcare sector.  

“If you compare that, the maximum on New Year’s Day last year was 186 people in five places that dropped to 66 this year, that is a big decrease and the average dropped from 69 to 39, so it’s a 65 per cent reduction just in terms of week-on-week one year ago compared to this year.” 

Major hospitals in other provinces also recorded lower trauma cases at the peak of the festive season.  

Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Gauteng says it had no patients come through its trauma and rescue area on New Year’s Day.