Tshwane officials brace themselves as testing station opens in hotspot

Gauteng is closing in on Western Cape Covid-19 infection figures with the death toll nationally exceeding 3,199.

Image: Supplied.

Health officials are bracing themselves for a busy time as a Covid-19 testing and screening station was opened at the Sunnypark mall in Sunnyside on Monday.

Rekord East reported that the new station is a partnership between the Gauteng department of health, Rebosis Property Fund, Tshwane health district and Faith Care Medicals.

Rebosis spokesperson Putco Mafani said this was their second Covid-19 testing station in Pretoria.

“We have been operating another one at Forest Hill City in Centurion, which screened more than 16,000 people and having conducted almost 3,500 tests.”

Mafani described the station as “a massive success”.

“We successfully rolled out and will continue to roll out screening and testing at certain facilities in Tshwane, Gauteng, with significant numbers of people being screened and tested for the virus.”

Image: Supplied.

He said this was part of the company’s strategy to support the government and the Gauteng department of health.

“Enhanced health and safety measures including enhanced cleaning procedures, hand sanitising and social distancing are in place at the facility,” said Mafani.

Rebosis Property Fund CEO Sisa Ngebulana said they were actively working with the Gauteng health department through the testing sites.

“It is our responsibility to ensure communities are screened and tested in greater numbers.”

The department partnered with Rebosis in May, in an effort to increase its capacity and upscale Covid-19 screening and testing.

Ngebulana said the screenings would benefit various communities in Pretoria and surrounding areas, especially those identified as virus hotspots and densely populated, thus posing a health risk.

Gauteng health department spokesperson Philani Mhlungu said the Sunnypark testing site opened at a time when health minister Zweli Mkhize had expressed his concern that the rapid increase of Covid-19 cases could overwhelm health facilities in the province.

“Gauteng is closing in on Western Cape Covid-19 infection figures with the death toll nationally exceeding 3,199. More than 8,000 new infections have also been reported over the past 24 hours, bringing the number of known cases closer to the 200,000 mark.”

The testing facility will operate from 9am to 3pm on weekdays.