Cop at Disaster Operations Centre in Tshwane tests positive for Covid-19

The City of Tshwane has closed part of its Disaster Operations Centre, which was set up to bolster its response to the Covid-19 outbreak, after a police officer stationed there tested positive for the virus.

In a statement on Wednesday, Tshwane’s head administrator, Mpho Nawa, said the police officer was tested after being admitted for scheduled treatment, unrelated to Covid-19.

“She tested positive after she was screened during routine pre-admission, she may have been asymptomatic,” Nawa added.

Before her hospital visit, the police officer “diligently followed daily routine screening upon reporting for duty on site which entails temperature scanning, completing a questionnaire and sanitising”.

Following the positive test, the City, as a precautionary measure, tested 54 individuals who had been in contact with the police officer and also directed them to self-isolate for at least 14 days.

“For purposes of transparency, I must inform members of the public that working arrangements at the City’s Disaster Operations Centre adhered to recommended preventative measures against Covid-19 infection,” Nawa said.

“The building is disinfected daily to maintain hygiene standards, with screening and sanitisation of all who enter the facility.”

As of 5 May, 224 confirmed Covid-19 cases in Tshwane were reported by the Gauteng Department of Health. It has also recorded 108 recoveries.

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