The City of Johannesburg has opened 21 free testing clinics around the city to speed the process of containing COVID-19.
The country has confirmed five deaths and 1 462 positive cases so far. More than 44 000 people have been tested.
@DrZweliMkhize is showcasing #Covid_19SA #CoronavirusInSouthAfrica 60 mobile testing units that the National Health Laboratory service has procured. The sampling and testing units will be deployed nationwide to all districts and metros. pic.twitter.com/7WhTKlOa08
— Department of Health: COVID-19 (@COVID_19_ZA) April 1, 2020
Member of the Mayoral Commitee of Health and Social Development in the City of Johannesburg Eunice Mgcina is urging people to visit the clinics only if they experience COVID-19 symptoms.
” All of them, they are operational. We feel there is a need to have those testing centres because we need to have our people tested. Please bare in mind that people who are to go to those testing centres are people who had the symptoms. It’s not necessary for people to go to those clinics if they don’t have the symptoms as well to avoid a stampede. It’s critical that our people, as they realise the symptoms, they are able to get tested in those clinics.”
In the video below, the Health Minister announces SA’s latest COVID-19 statistics:
Meanwhile in Cape Town, a testing and triage centre has been set-up on the grounds of Tygerberg Hospital in Parow – where people can be tested to see if they have a common cold or COVID-19.
Provincial Health Minister NomaFrench Mbombo has inspected the makeshift hall at the hospital, one of 17 similar sites across the Western Cape.
Mbombo says if needs be, the structures can also be used as field hospitals.
“People can come, it’s outside the hospital, it’s in the yard at the hospital, people are now able to triage, with the upcoming flu period, there’ll be many people who might have many common colds or other respiratory problems which might not necessarily be COVID-19.”
