Ntombela said this after welcoming a total of 17 Cuban health professionals to assist in the fight against Covid-19.

Ntombela says the provincial Health Department has to date screened at least 1 352 787 people, which constitutes to 40% of the entire Free State population. She also added that a total of ten state-owned and 15 privately owned facilities are ready for use as quarantine facilities in the province. She says these facilities have in total 1700 beds available. 

Included amongst these facilities are the Phillip Sanders Resort and Transnet Lodge in the Mangaung district, the Willem Pretorius Resort in the Lejweleputswa district, as well as the Seekoevlei and Sterkfontein Resorts in the Thabo Mofutsanyane district. 

To date, at least 19 834 tests have been conducted by the National Health Laboratory Services (NHLS) in the province. Ntombela adds that 3 302 of 3 324 contacts have been traced since the first case of coronavirus in the province on 15 March 2020. The province has to date recorded a total of 165 confirmed cases, 115 recoveries and 6 deaths. (Officially confirmed by the NICD on 18 May 2020: 163 cases, 108 recoveries and 6 deaths.)

Ntombela says in the Transport Sector, all 65 formal taxi rank structures in the province have been disinfected. She adds that the provincial Taxi Council and Taxi Associations were provided with disinfection gel, sanitisers, masks and gloves. The Department of Water and Sanitation has procured 2622 tanks; 1806 tanks have been delivered; and 134 trucks have been procured and delivered, she said. 

The sector of Social Services has approved a total of 92 social workers to be placed in all 5 districts of the province. She also says ten temporary homeless shelters have been activated in four districts, which includes Mangaung Metro with four shelters; Fezile Dabi with three shelters; Thabo Mofutsanyana with two shelters; and Lejweleputswa with one 1 shelter. A total of 21 278 food parcels have also been distributed in the province, she said. 

The Free State Provincial Government's Director-General, Kopung Ralikontsane, added after the briefing that Mangaung might remain at level 4 at first. The final announcements will be done by president Cyril Ramaphosa at a later stage.

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