Paarl gets its own triage centre as testing gets under way in the Cape

Urgent screening for the novel coronavirus has begun in priority sites across the Western Cape.

Provincial health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo kicked off the campaign this morning in Mbekweni, Paarl, in the Cape Winelands.

The testing will take place in a new field hospital facility, named a “Testing and Triage Centre”, by the Western Cape health department.

Mbombo inspected a similar facility on the Tygerberg Hospital grounds last week, the first of 17 in the province.

In the City of Cape Town Metro, testing was due to begin on Monday:

– Eastern Sub-District: Ilitha Park and Town 2, in Khayelitsha

– Tygerberg Sub-District: Bishop Lavis, Valhalla Park and Bonteheuwel

Further afield in the province, testing was also due to begin on Monday in Kwanonqaba, in Mossel Bay, on the Garden Route.

On Tuesday, according to the province, testing will begin in:

– Klipfontein Sub-District: Philippi

– Northern Sub-District: Kraaifontein, Scottsdale

– Western Sub-District: Bo-Kaap

On Wednesday and Thursday, testing will take place in:

– Northern Sub-District: Bothasig, Kraaifontein, Scottsdene, Durbanville, Klipheuwel, Fisantekraal, Ruyterwacht

On Friday past, national Health Minister Zweli Mkhize explained that the national figures were difficult to determine thoroughly, because not enough testing had taken place. The testing this week was to urgently address this.

Visiting the Tygerberg Hospital facility last week, Mbombo explained that the “Testing and Triage Centres” could also become emergency field hospitals, if required.

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