The Western Cape's Covid-19 infections rose by 2.9% to 676 on Wednesday, premier Alan Winde announced.

Of these, 192 patients (28.4%) had recovered and seven (1%) had died - meaning there are 477 active cases, of which 37 are in hospital and 18 in intensive care.

The City of Cape Town is responsible for 84.4% of the provincial cases, and while the western and southern suburbs are still worst affected, the number of patients on the Cape Flats is growing steadily.

The eastern suburbs have recorded 43 cases, Klipfontein 37, Khayelitsha 21 and Mitchells Plain 18.

Winde said a new Covid-19 testing and triage centre opened at Mitchells Plain Hospital on Wednesday. It is one of 17 similar facilities around the province that would take pressure off emergency centres.

"The facilities have been designed with social distancing in mind and have been set up so that symptomatic and asymptomatic patients are seated in separate areas," said Winde.

"They can also be easily converted, should the need arise, to create additional bed space."

Between April 4 and 10, more than 17,000 people were screened in their communities, and 1,220 ended up being tested for Covid-19.

Screening will take place on Thursday in the metroplitan communities of Kraaifontein, Belhar, Imizamo Yethu, Dunoon, Gugulethu, Nyanga, Silvertown, Heinz Park, Manenberg, Mfuleni, Macassar and Khayelitsha Site C.

In the Cape Winelands, screening will take place in Mbekweni and Drommedaris.

On the Garden Route, it will be conducted in Asla Park, Notina Street Block, Zoar, Amalienstein, Vanwyksdorp, Calitzdorp and Ladismith.