Tsiu revealed during the handing over of supplements, masks and sanitisers in Bloemfontein on Friday that there were expectations, the Free State - Mangaung in particular - would have a higher number of cases registered than it does currently after the first cases were reported in the province back in mid-March. Tsiu attributes their success to aggressive and targeted screening as well as the ousting of individuals who have the virus but choose to flout regulations.

According to Tsiu the department was tipped off that a business owner in the province kept his establishment open for business, despite testing positive for COVID-19. Tsiu did not go into further detail on the matter, but mentioned that whistle-blowers have formed an important part of the province’s fight to curb the outbreak.

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize, reported on Friday night the Free State has to date 99 active cases of the coronavirus in the province. Eight people have lost their lives to the novel virus in the province, seven of whom are in the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality alone.

The first set of positive cases in the province, emanated from the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast at the same Divine Restoration Church in Bloemfontein. As has already been reported internationals from Israel, the United States of America (USA), and France majority of whom came to the country to attend the church meet, later tested positive for COVID-19 following the declaration of a state of emergency by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Tsiu’s statements were made at the Free State Premier’s House in Bloemfontein during the handover of essentials for children ahead of schools slowly reopening on Monday. The stakeholders for the event included Head Start which was founded by Bloemfontein native Lily Geerdts, the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation, Childline and the provincial department of social development. Headstart which seeks to improve the learning environment of children by focusing on nutrition and movement has partnered with Amway’s Nutrilite Power of 5 Campaign to have Nutrilite Little Bits distributed in the province. Geerdts says the a single box of the Little Bits has 30 sachets which in turn are packed with 15 micronutrients derived from “an organic food state”.

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