Hundreds screened and tested for Covid-19 in inner City hostels
The next Region F Health blitz will be held at Jeppe hostel, east of the inner City.
Health authorities in Region F have screened and tested close to a thousand people for Covid-19 symptoms in the last fortnight.
Over 400 residents of Denver hostel in Ward 118 were recently screened for the contagious disease, with only 25 undergoing rigorous tests to check for any indications of the deadly pandemic.
The municipal team that visited the area comprised members from different directorates in the region, including pest control, environmental health and personnel from community outreach team Jozihlomile.
They were at Denver hostel to conduct an educational awareness programme through door-to-door visits and issuing of pamphlets on precautionary measures to take during lockdown to prevent contracting or transmitting Covid-19.
Scores of community members who queued to be screened and tested were encouraged to practice social distancing measures as a way to comply with public health regulations in the Disaster Management Act, which governs the lockdown.
Social distancing helps regulate the rapid transmission of the disease, helping to flatten the curve of Covid-19 infections.
Denver hostel Induna Mbatha Mntungwa thanked authorities for bringing ‘impilo’ (health) to the area. “We appreciate that the City came to screen and test us and to educate our community about the dangers of contracting Covid-19,” he said.
Mntungwa encouraged the City to conduct regular check-ups on hostels to ensure the community is not neglected.
Patricia Magingxa, the region’s manager for health programmes observed that most Joburgers in the inner City were showing an increased interest in learning about the contagious virus, which was a welcome shift.
“People are eager to get tested and they want to know how long they have to wait for their results, this is encouraging and gives hope that together we can fight the virus,” Magingxa explained.
Mathibe Monyamane, Region F’s manager for Clinics, said the community outreach in Denver made residents feel at ease and comfortable with knowing their fate regarding the disease.
Authorities in Region F have been on a whirlwind testing and screening drive in the area, visiting hostels, informal settlements and blocks of flats to screen and test for Covid-19 symptoms. More than 300 people were screened and tested at the George Goch Hostel, with all tests coming out negative.
The next Region F Health blitz will be held at Jeppe hostel, east of the inner City.
