All is well at Nasrec Covid-19 centre

Provincial health department denies rumours of theft incidents at the Soccer City Covid-19 treatment centre.

Gauteng Department of Health has denied that the Nasrec Expo Centre Covid-19 Treatment Centre had been closed and is currently experiencing criminal elements at the facility. Social media reports had suggested that such challenges were being faced at the centre expected to assist to alleviate pressure from hospitals as the Covid-19 pandemic continued to exist in the country.

According to Gauteng Health Department spokesperson Kwara Kekana, the facility is still fully operational with
1 222 patients having been admitted and treated between 15 June 2020 and 11 January 2021. Furthermore, reports of stolen medical equipment were also proved to be false by Kekana.

In April 2020 a section of the Nasrec Expo Centre was converted into both a Covid-19 quarantining and isolating facility. With a bed capacity of over 2 000, the centre has been accommodating, treating and assisting Covid-19 patients who did not have the space or resources to do so at their homes or places of residence.

The key purpose of the centre was to help ease the pressure from hospitals and clinics during the pandemic and according to Kekana, it has been successful in doing so thanks to the intermediate care section of the facility.

According to Kekana, the centre is still taking in patients for intermediate care, quarantine and isolation. The City of Johannesburg has opened all 75 of their clinics to the public for free Covid-19 testing. According to the City, only those showing/experiencing symptoms, such as fever, coughing, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, body aches, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congested or runny nose, nausea or vomiting and diarrhea, will be tested. Members of the public have been advised to first call the clinic they intend to go to.

For details on the City’s clinics, including telephone numbers and address, visit https://www.joburg.org.za/services_/Pages/City%20Services/Joburg%20Cares/Clinics.aspx