Ekurhuleni Mayor, Mzwandile Masina, handed over two mobile clinics to the Duduza community, after the City of Ekurhuleni closed the clinic in question indefinitely.

According to a statement released by the municipal office, the nurse was contacted through tracing methods, and underwent a polymerase chain reaction test for Covid-19 on 30 March. The results returned positive on 31 March, and the nurse has subsequently been placed under quarantine and is currently under medical observation.

 Speaking at a media briefing this morning in Duduza, Masina told the media that it has taken the municipality a bit of time to find the nurse who was part of the church in Bloemfontein.         

 “It would have been better for her, especially after seeing TV reports, to self-isolate at that particular time,” Masina added.

 “We have taken extra measures that the facility be closed. It’s going to be sanitised and the staff have been asked to self-isolate at home.”

Two mobile clinics to plug the gap

 The municipality handed over two mobile clinics for the community to continue utilising healthcare services. Masina has assured the Duduza community that the nurses who will be working at the mobile clinics aren’t from Duduza Clinic.

 In terms of a timeline for tracing those that were in contact with the nurse, Masina told the media that the provincial government has been informed and will be leading the tracing of all the patients who have been in contact with the nurse. For those patients who are sure they were helped by the nurse, and people in the nurse’s social network, the municipality will be providing a number to call to get assistance.

While there are concerns about the safety of health workers during the Covid-19 outbreak, the mayor said that the Ekurhuleni municipality have had a particular interest in making sure that all their staff are protected during this difficult time, and urged the Duduza community to remain calm because the government is handling the issue.

 The Duduza Clinic will remain closed and Masina expressed uncertainty about when it will be reopened. In the meantime, he urged the Duduza community to access the mobile clinic. — Health-e News

For more information on Covid-19 in South Africa, you can call the toll-free line on 0800 029 999, or you can send a message that says “Hi” on WhatsApp to the number 060 012 3456. You can also visit the SA Coronavirus website.