Internal spread of Covid-19 is a major concern – Health Minister

WHILE the majority of Covid-19 cases in South Africa involved people who had travelled abroad or come into contact with foreigners, the internal spread of the virus was now a matter of concern.

Speaking at a televised press briefing in Durban late on Tuesday (31 March), Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize said his department would be escalating the testing and screening of patients countrywide.

‘We need to act swiftly to reduce internal transmission,’ said Mkhize.
‘In the next three days, we will be unveiling additional mobile testing vans, which will be deployed to a number of provinces, particularly the Western Cape, Gauteng, KZN and Free State.

‘We will increase the number of field workers who will conduct tracing and testing. The tracing team as of last Friday numbered about 5 000 and this number will double,’ he said.

The minister said confirmed Covid-19 cases now stood at 1353, which was an increase of about 46 and there were now five confirmed deaths in the country. The total number of tests conducted to date was in the region of 39 500, excluding re-tests.

Interestingly, the minister said they had also noticed a positive trend over the past week.
‘The rate of increase in the number of infections is not as high as we had initially anticipated. The figures that we thought might be possible by 2 April could have been anywhere from 4 000 to 5 000 but we do not think we will get there.’

In terms of the Queen Mary cruise liner that had docked at the Port of Durban, Mkhize said there were a number of people on board the liner who had displayed symptoms of Covid-19.

‘Twenty-six people were checked and tested. It was found that all of them were negative. Only six South Africans were allowed to disembark. They will remain in quarantine while the ship will return to Australia,’ Mkhize said.

The minister also urged people who had travelled abroad on board the MSC cruise liners recently to approach medical doctors and undergo proper screening.

‘There were two confirmed cases from MSC cruises – this included the liner that set off on 28 February and came back on 2 March. We have a patient in the Free State, who tested positive after disembarking from that cruise liner. The other passenger who was positive set sail to the Portuguese Islands between 13 and 16 March.

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