Premier Job Mokgoro says this is one of the resolutions and measures taken by the provincial government following a special sitting on Tuesday night 17 March 2020. The meeting by Mokgoro and his MECs follows after the meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday night, following the confirmation of 61 coronavirus cases in the country. Mokgoro says measures are already in place to combat the virus and those include hospital services, port health, national health laboratory services and emergency medical rescue and services (EMRS), amongst others.

So far 116 cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed by the Health Minister, Zweli Mkhize, and not a single positive case has been reported in the North West so far.

“All districts have now been trained on guidelines for case finding, diagnoses management, and public health response in South Africa, and about 820 health care providers have been trained in the North West. We also conducted a workshop in the private sector, including the mines, on Tuesday 10 March 2020 in the Bojanala Platinum district and we are continuing with private sector training on Covid-19 through the province,” he adds.

Mokgoro outlined his provincial government plans to stem the spread of the coronavirus. During the briefing today he announced that a 40-bed ward at the Klerksdorp Tshepong Hospital complex has been prepared as the designated hospital with an isolation centre during any possible outbreak of the coronavirus in the province.

He said the complex has also formed a management committee, specifically for Covid-19, led by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the Clinical Manager. In his address, he further said six individuals were earlier tested by the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NCID) and their tests results came back negative.

Mokgoro announced that health officials have also stepped up their presence at the four remaining ports of entry that are operational following the closure of five of the nine ports shared between the province and the Republic of Botswana.

“We will, therefore, be taking a cue from [president Cyril Ramaphosa] and encourage citizens of the province to take precautionary measures to combat [the spread] of this virus by the social distancing of one meter and also by not holding any gathering of more than a 100 people,” he further adds.

Mokgoro said they have assessed theses ports for its readiness and strengthened capacity by appointing seven additional environmental officials to the five that have already been provided by the Department of Health.

On Tuesday 17 March 2020 minister of Home Affairs, Aaron Motsoaledi, announced the closure of 35 of 72 as part of the national disaster declared by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday night.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Sunday night that the gathering of more than 100 people, amongst others, was prohibited due to the outbreak. He also issued a travel ban involving all high-risk countries such as Italy, China, and Iran, amongst others.

OFM News