Over 13,500 people tested for Covid-19 in Gauteng

The Gauteng Department of Health has tested more than 13 500 people and screened around 1.2 million people for Covid-19 in the province, as it prepares for the move to Level 4 of the national lockdown.

In a statement on Monday, the department said since embarking on its testing campaign at the beginning of April, about 8% of the province’s population has been screened for the virus.

Of that, 13 558 people have been tested for Covid-19.

“The province is currently [sitting] at 1 331 positive cases, 8 deaths and 868 recoveries,” the department said.

It added it would begin to “aggressively roll out the screening and testing programme to reach as many people as possible”, as it prepares to ease lockdown restrictions.

“There are four days left before the national lockdown is adjusted from the current Level 5 to Level 4, as part of a risk-adjusted strategy which will see the gradual easing of current lockdown restrictions,” the department said.

On Monday, the campaign will target Johannesburg’s epicentre, which is Region E.

This includes areas such as Alexandra, Marlboro, Orange Grove, Louis Botha, Sandringham, Linksfield, Lyndhurst, Lombardy East, Bryanston, Fourways, Sandton centre, Grayston, Parkmore, Modderfontein, Greenstone and Craigavon.

The sub-district leads with 31.5% of the province’s cases, the department said.

“The targeted group of people to be screened and tested includes people with flu-like symptoms, community members who are above 60 years of age and those with comorbid chronic conditions (e.g. diabetes, asthma, hypertension, HIV infection, tuberculosis),” the department said.

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