Mpumalanga Province ready to tackle Corornavirus head-on

This was disclosed by Premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane together with the MEC for Health, Sasekani Manzini during a media conference recently.

Their state of readiness, according to Mtshweni-Tsipane, began before the first two victims were diagnosed in the province.

“At the time the couple was diagnosed whilst the husband was returning from Germany, we had already tested and quarantined nine people already. We didn’t wait until a person was diagnosed positively, but as soon went out that coronavirus was looming any where, we got into action as a province.”

“The couple that was first diagnosed, was taken to Rob Ferreira Hospital where we have prepared a place where we keep suspected cases. Fortunately, the couple was released and were quarantined at their home,” said Mtshweni-Tsipane.

She further disclosed that the first suspected case had on arrival OR Tambo International Airport, went to check on friends and family before coming to the province. On that note, Mtshweni-Tsipane said they followed through to ensure that all those she had got in contact with, were tested to make sure they are assisted.

“We have made sure that our health facilities at Rob Ferreira, which has been pronounced as the central place for coronavirus cases. The staff component there we made sure they are well conversant and know how to deal with such cases.This case came about when the said patient visited her doctor and was diagnosed with the disease. immediately after referred them to the centre.

“The patients we’re talking about, were diagnosed and checked for severity of the disease. They moved on March…..Our response team are ready to visit any suspected cases. We’ve even checked on fellow workers of the first suspected case and all have undergone the normal assessment. we are prepared to tackle coronavirus as far as possible. If your temperature is found to be too high, it is then you are put aside for assessments. Even if you temperature is normal it may emerge later on, hence we keep them.

“This is not an infection that is only brought about by people who have travelled abroad, but even locally, too. The moment you pick up symptoms, you better rush early because it’s better early than later. Don’t resort to home medication, but people must present themselves in order to be thoroughly treated,” she added.
How about precautionary measures along the borders and those illegal immigrants who enter the country on a daily basis?

“There are screenings that take place at the border posts by the national government because there’s a lot of congestion at all of them. It is very important that we prevent cross-border contamination in order to protect ourselves. As people come in and go out, they get tested at the borders.”

“Illegal crossing does not happen at the border posts, unfortunately. it’s very difficult for us to focus on illegal entries because it would be like we’re legitimising them, we will concentrate on the border posts only. We want to motivate upon illegal immigrants to get proper documentation for you to get into or out of our country. We appeal to everyone to go through the proper channels of travelling, get assessed at the points of entry and be assisted if you test positive.

“If there are any illegal entries at borders, there are SANDF that are manning them, they need to be reported as and when they occur. Usually they arrest them, interrogate them and despatch them back to their countries of origin.

After being arrested, they will be taken to the nearest border posts to be screened, although there are also those cases that sneak through behind the SANDF’s backs. We are urging our neighbouring countries and our people that we follow the right processes to ensure our people are not infected with the virus,” she said.

How will the department handle in COVID-19 if it escalates?

“From where we’re sitting, we are ready as we indicated that we dealt the cases at our disposal, so far. We have already more than nine people in the province. as we proceed, we have not encountered any problems. Our response well equipped to fight coronavirus, head on,” concluded Mtshweni-Tsipane.