VKLM FIRE
The portal for public information to residents within the Victor Khanye Municipal area on safety
Legal stuff:
- This Website and all of its sub-pages are an independent run website with the pure intention of providing the community residing within the Victor Khanye Local Municipality vital information related to fire and life safety as well as preparation for adverse conditions that may impact all during a disaster or threatening disaster. In NO CIRCUMSTANCES is this page to be considered as an official page of the Victor Khanye Local Municipailty or representing this organization. To stop any allegations it is hereby registered that this site will remain independant and are 100% funded by the owner thereof.
- The Victor Khanye Local Municipal website can be visited at www.vklm.gov.za or www.victorkhanyelm.gov.za
- All weather related data is received or extracted with gratitude from the South African Weather Services (www.weathersa.co.za) with the exception of the UV Index which is obtained from Accuweather (www.accuweather.com). It may occur that the SAWS site is unavailable at the time of refreshing this page, on which instance the data from Ventusky (www.ventusky.com) are used for graphical representation and with comparison to the meteoblue or ECMWF data from the "Windy" website (www.windy.com) to provide the given data.
- Warnings are issued by the South African Weather Services (SAWS) ONLY in the form of emails or message systems and those relevant to the Victor Khanye Municipal area is published under the "Weather Warnings" box on the main page for information and early warning purposes to the community.
- Newsletters and most of the information related to snakes and snake safety are obtained from the African Snakebite Institute (ASI) (www.africansnakebiteinstitute.com) with gratitude to their continued research and inputs.
- As per the DIsaster Management Regulations all South African based Websites should have information related to COVID-19 and a link to the official COVID-19 Website. This site have compliance to the regulations. There is a dedicated page with information and the published statistics, the link is on the home page, and key information is shared. For the official website please visit http://sacoronavirus.co.za
By notice from the Webmaster
Please adhere to COVID-19 regulations and STAY SAFE
January is going to be above normal warm with the possibility of severe thunderstorm forming.
Please ensure storm water trenches, gutters are cleared of leaves, etc. verify roofs are secure, and check those trees..
COVID-19
Corona-virus global pandemic
To get relevant information on the status and newest information including Approved media releases, please visit the following website:
How is it transmitted?
The virus is spreading from person-to-person. The spread of the disease have been identified as mainly via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes, similar to how influenza and other respiratory pathogens spread. Thus far, the majority of cases have occurred in people with close physical contact to cases and healthcare workers caring for patients with COVID-19.
How is COVID-19 treated?
Treatment is supportive (providing oxygen for patients with shortness of breath or treating a fever, for example). To date, there is no specific antiviral treatment or vaccine available. Antibiotics do not treat viral infections. However, antibiotics may be required if a bacterial secondary infection develops.
What we are being done in South Africa?
South Africa is curerently in Lockdown to flatten the curve of infections. There was an initial hard lockdown and then a phases easing of the lockdown through arert levels to open up the economy and still attempting to keep the infection rates low. However, with the easing of the lockdown, there is an increase in cases and deathtolls observed, this is also contributed by a general disobedience from the public in terms of implementing restrictive measures such as social distancing and not traveling. (basically "when you move, the virus moves".
A large campaign of screening have been initiated. Suspected cases (people displaying symptoms or having a fever) are refered to health care faciities to be tested and recommended to go into self-isolation until test results come back.
Positive cases will be managed dependant on their severity by means of monitored self-isolation and contact tracing or hospitilasation on severe cases. Those who cannot self-isolate can be refered to designated faciities estalished for isolation.
Protocols are in place for follow up on case contacts to ensure that the virus does not spread further.
SYMPTOMS
Incubation period is between 2 to 10 days.
The most common symptoms start with a loss of taste and/or smell, fever, followed by a dry cough with tiredness or fatigue
In more severe cases shortness of breath or difficiculty breathing may also present, with more serious patients requiring hospital treatment
Notably, the COVID-19 infection rarely seems to cause a runny nose, sneezing, with some cases reporting a sore throat after the cough started (observed in about 5% of patients).
Sore throat, sneezing and stuffy nose are most often signs of a cold.
DON’T PANIC
There is no need to panic –
98% of COVID-19 cases are mild:
patients only experience a slight fever, fatigue and a cough.
Only about 2% of patients need intensive care.
The vast majority of people can stay at home and get better without hospital treatment.
The Global percentage of recovery rates are 90% with only a 10% of serious cases where patients have lost their lives.
The highest mortality rate are with people on the age range 40 to 79 (on South African statistics) with the age range 60 - 69 as the most dangerous ages.
And in almost all these cases the patient also had a comorbidity (meaning another overlaping illness such as Asthma, COPD, TB, Diabetes, Colds and Flu, Bronchitis, to mention a few)
PREVENTATIVE TIPS
– Wash your hands regularly with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
– Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with
unwashed hands.
– Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Practice Social Distancing of at least 1,5m from
others
- Wear face protection such as a cloth mask or
scarf covering the nose and mouth when in public
areas, in vehicles with public or areas where social
distancing cannot be achieved.
– Cover your cough or sneeze with a flexed elbow or a
tissue, then throw the tissue in the bin.
– Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and
surfaces.
- Older people (65+) need to take extra care and where
possible avoid unnecessary traveling
Below are some information on COVID-19
NATIONAL LOCKDOWN FOR SOUTH AFRICA
MOVED BACK TO ADJUSTED LEVEL 3 FROM 29 DECEMBER 2020
What is COVID-19?
Human Coronaviruses are common throughout the world. There are many different coronaviruses identified in animals but only a small number of these can cause disease in humans.
On 7 January 2020, ‘Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2’ (SARS-CoV-2) was confirmed as the causative agent of ‘Coronavirus Disease 2019’ or COVID-19. The majority of the case-patients initially identified were dealers and vendors at a seafood, poultry and live wildlife market in Wuhan, China. Since then, the virus has spread to more than 100 countries, including South Africa.
Initially, travellers to areas where there is ongoing sustained transmission of COVID-19 including Mainland China (all provinces), Hong Kong, Japan, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, Taiwan, Italy and the Islamic Republic of Iran are at greatest risk of infection.
Furthermore, the elderly, individuals with comorbidities and healthcare workers have been found to be at a higher risk of death.
With more known and the infection spread, the people most at risk are those with close contact with an infected person. This includes health care providers, emergency care providers and frontline staff directly in contact with public where protection is not in place. It was determined that the age groups 40 to 69 are the highest risk group with people between the ages 60 and 69 being at the top. And it can be also noted that people with a comorbidity* have a much higher risk of contracting the virus with serious to deadly consequences
*(overlapping illness or having multiple medical conditions at teh same tie, especially when they interact with each other in some or other way)
SUMMARY OF REGULATIONS IMPLEMENTED AS OF 29 DECEMBER 2020 BASED ON INCREASE TO LEVEL 3
* It is Compulsory to wear a cloth face mask, home made
item or another appropriate item that covers the nose
and mouth when in public
* All public transport drivers must ensure masks are worn
by passengers over nose & mouth
* All places of business must ensure customers &
employees wear masks over nose & mouth
CURFEW
*9 pm to 5am (21:00 to 05:00) {Closing times at 8 pm
[20:00] to allow employees to return home before 9 pm
[21:00]}
Closing time for
- Cinemas, theatres, casinos, museums, galleries, archives,
gyms and fitness centres, restaurants, venues hosting
auctions and venues hosting professional sport shall be
8 pm [20:00]
MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE
Curfew adjusted to between 21:00 to 05:00, except in Hotspot areas.
All are confined to their homes during this time except if permitted and with Form 7 indicating authorisation to perform a service not listed in restrictions (Table 2). The Form 7 is available here
Closing times for Cinemas, Theatres, Casino's, Museums, Galleries' and Archives, Gyms and fitness centres, Restaurants, venues hosting auctions and Venues hosting professional sport shall be 20:00.
It will be compulsory to wear a mask (as per the definition).
NO PERSON will be allowed to
* use, operate, perform any service on any form of public
transport;
* enter or be in abuilding, place or premises, used by the
public to obtain goods or services, or
* be in any public open space,
If he or she is not wearing a face mask.
An employer may not allow any employee to perform any duties or enter the employment premises if the employee is not wearing a face mask while performing his or her duties.
Every business premises shall determine their area of floor space and
- determine the number of customers and employees that
may be inside the premises I order to ensure Social
distancing between people are adhered to
- Make sure that the persons queuing maintain social
distancing
- provide hand sanitizers for use by public at the entrances
to the premises,
- Assign in writing an employee as the compliance officer
who must ensure compliance and measures are adhered
to
- Display a certificate of capacity indicating the maximum
allowed customers based on the floor space and
employees.
FUNERALS
* Limitations 50 people with observation of Social
Distancing, if venue cannot hold 50 people, then 50% of
capacity of building or Venue.
* Night vigils and all "post" funeral gatherings (after-tears
functions) are prohibited
* Wearing of face mask, social distancing of at least 1,5m
and all other health protocols shall be adhered to.
* Duration of a funeral is restricted to a maximum of 2
hours.
GATHERINGS
* Owners of operators of any indoor or outdoor facility
where gatherings are held must display the certificate of
occupancy which states the maximum number of persons
the facility may hold.
* All social gatherings and faith-based gatherings, political
or traditional council meetings are prohibited provisionally
until 15 January 2021
* listed gatherings are limited to a maximum of 50 persons
indoors and 100 people outdoors. If the facility cannot
hold this maximums, then 50% of the capacity of the
facility shall be adhered to.
* Public parks and open spaces are closed and gatherings
are not permitted.
* Night clubs, swimming pools, Bars, Pubs, Shebeens and
Taverns or facilities alike shall remain closed
SALE AND DISPENSING OF LIQUOR
* The sale, dispensing and distribution of liquor for both
off-site and on-site consumption is prohibited.
* Consumption of liquor in public places are prohibited
* The transportation of liquor is prohibited
DECLARED HOTSPOT AREAS
There are 26 declared hotspot areas.
* Hotspot areas in the vicinity of Victor Khanye Municipality are
GAUTENG
* City of Tshwane
* City of Johannesburg
* West rand
* Ekurhuleni
Announcement
Updated regulations based on Increased infections published.
National State of disaster have been extended to 15 February 2021 (Government Gazette 44071 dated 13 January 2021)
The newest adjusted Level 3 regulations on addressing the second wave of infections can be downloaded here
(Government Gazette 44044 dated 29 December 2020 amended by Gazette 44066 dated 11 January 2021)
See below for the updated/amended regulations summary based on the sharp increase of cases
Additional Symptoms
identified:
- Loss of sense of taste and smell
- Loss of appetite
- Headaches
- Diarrhoea
- Mental confusion
- Muscle pains
- Skin rash
- Conjunctivitis
