Free State govt identifies 25 quarantine sites
Ten of the quarantine facilities that are state-owned while 15 are privately-owned.
Staff at the quarantine facility: Gauteng health department.
The Free State government has identified 25 quarantine facilities to accommodate people who have had contact with Covid-19 patients.
“We have 10 quarantine facilities that are state-owned whilst 15 are privately-owned. The rest will be announced once ready for occupation,” Free State Premier Sisi Ntombela said.
Addressing a media briefing on Tuesday, on the province’s risk adjusted strategy on Covid-19, she said a vigorous repair and maintenance programme has been undertaken by the provincial department of public works and infrastructure.
The programme has been undertaken to improve conditions of these facilities and bring them up to an acceptable level.
“These facilities are primarily used to isolate our people who have had contact with Covid-19 patients for continuous monitoring by our health workers. In total we have almost 1 700 beds across the province. We have satisfied ourselves that all the sites are habitable and decent to accommodate people,” said the premier.
Meanwhile, maintenance work has been completed at Phillip Sanders Resort and Transnet Lodge in Bloemfontein. As of Tuesday, 56 people have been quarantined at Phillip Sanders, while a further 129 are under quarantine at Transnet Lodge.
Maintenance work has been completed at the Willem Pretorius resort in Lejweleputswa district, and Seekoevlei and Sterkfontein resorts in Thabo Mofutsanyane district to be utilized for quarantine.
The resorts will be handed over to the department of health on Wednesday.
The Free State has a total 165 Covid-19 confirmed cases, 115 recoveries and six deaths.
“Through the sterling work of the Provincial Department of Health, our government has to date, screened 1,352,787 people. This constitutes over 40% of the provincial population. I am proud to announce that as of this morning, 3,302 of 3,324 contacts have been traced. The screening and tracing is ongoing as we speak,” Ntombela said.
The province has conducted 19,834 tests by the National Health Laboratory Services (NHLS).
Areas where water is a challenge have also be identified. These areas have been provided with tanks and tankers.
To date 2,622 tanks have been procured; 1,806 tanks have been delivered; and 134 trucks have been procured and delivered.
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