Covid-19 is strengthening its grip on the Cape Town township of Khayelitsha, where cases have leapt by more than 21% in a day.

Western Cape premier Alan Winde said there were 147 confirmed cases in Khayelitsha by 5pm on Friday, up from 121 the previous day.

The increase means cases in the township have almost doubled in three days, a period in which the Western Cape as a whole has seen an increase of only 25%.

Winde said on Saturday that the Western Cape had seen two more deaths — a woman of 51 and a man of 30, both with comorbidities — bringing the provincial total to 30.

Sixty-three people were in hospital, including 16 in intensive care, and 249 people have recovered.

Winde said 1,550 tests had been conducted in the past day “based on our active case-finding approach, where we purposely follow the 'bush fires' — the pockets of infections within communities — to ensure that every person who has been infected by Covid-19 is identified as quickly as possible”.

He welcomed the announcement on Saturday that cloth masks would be compulsory for anyone venturing outside during level four lockdown.

“I had made this request to the president ... and I am glad that this recommendation has been taken up,” he said.

“We are also pleased that limited production and the sale of stationery, educational books and personal IT equipment such as computers and cellphones is now allowed, as these will allow for education, learning and home businesses to continue.

“Agriculture is a major contributor to the provincial economy so we welcome the further opening up of agricultural exports, as well as essential fishing operations and flower growers.”