Dis-Chem branch in Joburg closed after employee tests positive

Dis-Chem has confirmed the closure of its Athol Oaklands branch in the BluBird Shopping Centre in Johannesburg after a staff member tested positive for coronavirus.

On Tuesday, the pharmacy group said in a statement “all necessary protocols were immediately implemented”, while the infected employee was “sent home to self-isolate and seek medical care”.

“The store was closed today and a professional cleaning service, complete with staff in hazmat suits, has been brought in to thoroughly deep clean the whole shop,” the company added.

The branch is expected to reopen on Friday.

“All colleagues working closely with the staff member have been tested and are being monitored on an ongoing basis for symptoms and those who have been in close contact are now self-isolating.

“Dis-Chem has been screening all employees’ temperatures every morning for the past few weeks as an added safety precaution,” national clinic manager Lizeth Kruger said.

On Tuesday, the national health department confirmed there were currently 2,415 positive cases countrywide, an increase of 143 compared to the day before.

No new fatalities were confirmed, meaning the death toll remains at 27.

Of the total infections, Gauteng has recorded 909 cases, the Western Cape 643, KwaZulu-Natal 489, the Eastern Cape 174, Free State 98, Limpopo 24, Mpumalanga 22, the North West, 22, Northern Cape 16, with 18 cases not allocated.

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